The festival of colours, Holi, is just around the corner, and if you are a foodie, we are guessing all you are excited about is the khoya-stuffed dumpling, the gujiya. Filled with khoya, nuts, and dried fruits in the North and coconut in parts of the West, gujiya is a staple in homes across the Indian subcontinent during the time of Holi. No wonder one simply cannot imagine Holi without the deep-fried, sweet, and flaky gujiyas. But have you ever thought how the sweet treat came into being?
The earliest mention of gujiya dates back to the 13th century, when a jaggery-honey mixture was covered with wheat flour and sun-dried. It was a sweet replica of samosa, which in turn reached India through the Middle East. However, there are many theories around the moon-shaped delicacy, and the most popular one is that which connects it to the Turkish dessert Baklava. It's believed that the idea of the gujiya might have originated from Turkey's baklava, which is also a sweet wrapped in a flour cover and stuffed with dry fruits. Because the flaky pastry or covering is the hallmark of a well-done gujiya, this Holi essential has been linked to Turkish Baklava.
Closer to home, in India, it's believed that the gujiya belongs to the Bundelkhand or Braj region in its present avatar, and it is inevitable that the khoya has been the filling of choice for the gujiya. In Vrindavan, where the Radha Raman temple dates back to 1542 and is one of the oldest in the town, gujiya and Chandrakala are still part of the menu and have been for at least 500 years.
While it’s hard to pin down one moment in history when gujiya really came around, let’s just say that it had its own journey and is today a ubiquitous part of Holi celebrations in most parts of India and is made in 100 different ways.
Wondering how you can make gujiya at home? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a simple Gujiya recipe for you to try.
Ingredients
For the dough:
2 cups refined flour
1 cup clarified butter or ghee
Water (to mix)
For the filling:
1 cup of khoya
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon green cardamom, powdered
1 tablespoon almonds, finely chopped
Ghee (for deep-frying)
Method
Prepare the dough:
First, rub 1/4 cup ghee into the flour and knead into a stiff dough with water. Let it rest for at least half an hour.
Prepare the filling:
Saute the khoya over medium heat till it looks slightly fried. Take off the heat, and when it cools, mix in the sugar, cardamom, and almonds.
Shape the filling into ovals. Make balls of the dough and roll them out into 1 cm (1/8 inch) thick roundels.
Wet the edges of one roundel with water and place a piece of filling over one half. Fold the other half over and press the edges together to seal it tight.
Make a design by pinching and twisting all along the sealed edges. Prepare all the gujiyas in this way.
Now heat the ghee in a wok to deep-fry the gujiyas. To check if the ghee is hot enough, slide in a piece of dough. If it fries and comes up at once, add as many gujiyas as fit comfortably in the pan and fry them.
Turn them over and lower the heat to medium. Fry till golden brown on all sides. Take them off and leave them to drain excess ghee off on absorbent paper.
