Why gujiyas are made on Holi? – i wonder. On this my neighbouring Tanwar aunty said – ” The reason is to celebrate the end of dull and dry chilled winter and to welcome the colorful spring with colors of Holi”. i still didn’t get why gujiya? She said – ” Look when someone gets bored – they tend to like crispy and flavour full sweet things – which they can eat and share with their neighbours – as we all know winter are dull and boring”. i said that it’s true winterare boring but why is “gujiya” the only solution. She said – “Everyone is busy coloring each other red and green …. fine fine – yellow and blue – purple and black and with many other option. So they’re busy and don’t have the time to stop – but in coloring and chasing each other – their energy level go down – so to have a quick energy refill – they can have a quick munch while on the run”. Well now that made some sense!! This conversation took place last year – a day before holi – while we’re busy making gujiyas.

It is true that i don’t like these home made gujiyas very much – what i actually love are those from the shop – they seem to be more juicy. Tanwar aunty told me her recipe and i ate her homemade gujiyas – which were delicious no wonder but – they seemed to be dry. so i have made little change and prepare this –

 

 

Ingredient for Outer Covering :

3 cups plain flour (meda) – 1 cup semolina (suji) – 1/2 cup veg oil – 1/2 cup curd.

In a bowl mix plain flour and semolina – slightly heat the veg oil. Add it in the plain flour-semolina mixture – mix it thoroughly with our finger. Add curd – again mix it well.  Add water – as much as needed – to make a soft dough. Cover it with a damp towel and keep it aside for half an hour.

Ingredient for Semolina – Coconut  mixture :

2 cups semolina (suji) – 3/4 cup brown sugar – 1 fistful raisin (kismis) – 1 cup clarified butter (ghee) —  2 fresh coconut (grated) – 1 cup brown sugar – 1 can condense milk (milk maid).

In a pan heat the ghee – add semolina. Stir till the semolina is light  golden brown in color. Add the brown sugar and stir for few minutes – sugar granules shouldn’t melt. Take it off the heat and keep aside – and let it cool. In the same pan add the fresh grated coconut and brown sugar. Stir till it becomes gooyee – keep stirring till it becomes sticky. Add the condense milk and keep stirring for another few minutes. The  mixture should be sticky but not gooyee.

P.S. Mix the semolina mixture and coconut mixture together. This will be used as the filling.

 

Ingredient for Salty mixture :

4 cups potatoes (finely chopped) – 2 cups peas – 5 spices mixture ( roasted and coarsely grinned) – green chillies (finely chopped) – salt to taste – cheese slices – 2 tbsp veg oil.

In a pan heat oil – add the potatoes and peas – stir – add the salt and green chillies.  Cover the pan and cook it the potatoes are soft – add the 5 spices mixture and cook for another 2 minutes. Cheese slices are needed at the time of making the salty gujiya.

Method :

Take a small amount of the dough – make it in a ball – with a rolling pin flatten it out into a small chapati. Put the small chapati on a mould – fill it with 2 tsp of semolina-coconut mixture – apply plain flour-water paste on the edge of the chapatti – close the mould. Carefully place the gujiya on a plate and cover it with a damp towel. Reuse the remaining chapatti – smash it into a dough – add more fresh dough – make more gujiya following the above process.

 P.S. When filling the gujiya with veg filling – add pieces of cheese slice in it.