Gujiya is one of the Indian sweets made religiously during festive seasons, such as Holi and Diwali. This is a deep-fried pastry dough with a sweet buttery filling. The outer covering is made of all-purpose flour, also known as maida, and is mixed with generous amounts of ghee, giving it a crumbly yet soft touch. The dough is made into small, uniform balls filled with mainly roasted khoya, also used synonymously with mawa, sugar, and cardamom powder, with dry fruits like almonds, cashews, and pistachios. Some recipes might use semolina, desiccated coconut, and a few raisins to get that bite. After filling, it is folded into a semicircular shape and sealed from the edges by pressing it with your fingers or a fork to ensure the filling will not be spilt out when fried. This sweet is deep-fried in ghee or oil until done, with a crisp outer crust, and the inside turns out lovely and soft. A few variations of the recipe of Gujiya are also immersed in sugar syrup right after they are deep-fried to up the sugary coating and sheen that sugar syrup gives to a typical piece of the Gujiya recipe.

• 200 gms khoya
• 250 gms maida
• 50 gms dry fruit
• 100 gms bura
• 1pinch salt
• 60 gms ghee
• Cooking oil

• First, prepare the dough of the gujiya.
• Take a big mixing bowl, and add 250 gms maida or all-purpose flour to it.
• Add 60 gms of ghee or clarified butter alongside a pinch of salt. Remember, ghee has to be kept at room temperature for smooth blending into the flour.
• Mix well until this mixture takes the form of crumbs.
• Gradually add the water and knead into a firm dough. The dough should be smooth and soft to the touch but not sticky. Cover the dough under a damp cloth or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes. This will relax the gluten in the flour and will help in easier rolling.
• In the meantime, prepare the filling.
• Heat 200 gms khoya in a non-stick pan over an infinitesimal flame. Khoya must be stirred continuously so as not to get brown or burnt at the bottom.
• Cook the khoya till it turns soft and slightly creamy.
• When it does, add 100 gms of powdered sugar and mix well. Then continue to cook for 2 to 3 min to dissolve the sugar and thicken it according to preference.
• Remove pan from heat and let the khoya mixture cool down.
• Once the khoya mixture is back to room temperature, add 50 gm of chopped dry fruits. Cashew and almonds are a must but with raisin, they form a great combination. Fold in the dry fruits in the khoya mixture so that every spoonful has a good amount of nuts and raisins in it.
• Now, give the gujiyas their shape. Divide the dough at rest into small equal portions, nearly the size of a walnut.
• Roll each portion on a floured surface into a small circle. Make circles as even and smooth as possible.
• Place a spoon of khoya mixture in the centre of each dough circle. Stuff carefully, as overfilling makes sealing challenging.
• Shape into a semi-circle by folding the dough circle in half over the filling. Seal the edges of gujiya by pressing them together. Alternatively, You may only use gujiya mould to crimp the edges or press with a fork for a fancier pattern. Make sure the edges are sealed tight so that the filling does not leak out when frying.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. The quantity of the oil must be enough to dip the gujiyas in it.
• Now, to check whether the oil has become hot or not, drop a small piece of dough into the oil, and if it sizzles and comes up to the surface, your oil is ready.
• Gently slide the prepared gujiyas in hot oil in batches; keep the pan open. Deep-fry the gujiyas golden brown and crisp, occasionally turning until golden brown- this takes about 4-5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gujiyas from the oil and smear excess oil on paper tissues.
• Allow the Gujiyas to cool on a wire rack or plate. Store the cooled Gujiyas in an airtight container. These gujiyas will last for many days and are an incredible sweet delicacy that one can relish with tea or coffee. If you enjoyed this recipe of Gujiya, don't forget to share it with your friends and family.