Gujiya...delightful holi.

Holi is almost upon us and besides the colourful celebration ,almost everyone looks forward to the delicious traditional delicacies served up on the occasion.Our humble gujiya is a wrapped and fried pastry with khoya and dryfruits .In northen states of India it is popular as gujiya whereas in Maharashtra and Karnataka it is famous as Karanji.

 The Recipe: (For about 30 gujiyas)

For the Shell:

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 4 Tbsp. ghee\
• 1/4 cup Water + /- 2 Tbsp. water

For the Filing:

• 200 g Khoya/Mava (Indian cooked dried milk) cut in small cubes
• 1/2 cup dry fruits (cashews, almonds, pistachios) slivered, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup raisins (green/golden ones are preferable )
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Cardamom powder (I even crush the cardamom seeds using a rolling pin when in hurry)
• ghee/Vegetable  Oil for frying

For the binder:

• 2 Tbsp. All Purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

To make the shell dough:

Add the gheel to the all purpose flour and rub the mixture between the palms of your hands. The ghee should be uniformly distributed in the flour and should resemble fine bread crumbs.

Add the water slowly to the flour and make a stiff dough. It is important to knead the dough well for good gujiyas. A good tip for all such dough is to set aside a tsp. of ghee initially and then at the very end add it in a corner of the plate you are using to knead. The dough is then broken in 2 -3 pieces and then made smooth by touching those pieces with the ghee in the corner till all the oil is absorbed. Cover the dough and let it rest for 1/2 an hour while the filling is prepared.

Stiff gujiya dough

Khoya, nuts, raisins and cardamom…….filling’s ready…it will be crumbly when dry

To make the filling:

Heat a wok or a saucepan on medium heat (no. 5 mark) and add the khoya (milk solids) in it.

Use a spatula to break the big lumps of the khoya.

Keep frying the khoya till it turns golden brown. The heat can be reduced a little bit if you are not able to stir all the khoya to (no. 4 mark). Once the khoya turns brown, add the nuts, raisins and cardamom powder.

Let the mixture cool and then add sugar to the mixture. The sugar amount can be varied as per taste too.

To make the Gujiyas:

First prepare the binder paste by mixing the all purpose flour and water. Set it aside.

The dough should be more pliable now as it has rested (goes same as humans ;-) ). Break the dough into 30 equal parts and keep rounding them with your palms as you are breaking. Cover the broken and rounded dough with a moist cloth so that they do not dry too much.

Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a round about 2.5″ in diameter.

Apply the binder paste along the edges. Use your index finger to dip in the binder paste and then spread it around the circumference of the rolled out round.

Add about 1 Tbsp. of the filling into the round and fold the round into a semicircle now. At this step, you can either press all the edges hard so that they do not open, or use a gujiya mold  or make a murri. The murri is made by pulling very small portions of the dough edge and rolling it over the edges. Honestly, it is a little difficult to write about it, its easier to learn when seen. I shall try someday to insert a video here but that has to wait. Keep the prepared gujiya aside and cover with a moist towel while you prepare the other gujiyas.

 

Almost round ;-) dough and filling

Folding and closing in process

The wok or frying pan should at least have 2″ of gheel. Start heating the ghee on medium heat as you prepare the gujiyas. Once 5 or 6 gujiyas are ready, add them to the ghee. Drop a tiny dough piece to check the ghee. It should not be so hot that the dough ball comes to the surface at once. The ghee should be just hot enough that the dough ball stays immersed for about 30 seconds. You should be able to see the bubbles as you add the dough piece. Lower the heat just a little bit to about medium low (gas mark 4) and fry the gujiyas till golden and crisp.

Gujiyas in hot ghee

Serve hot or at room temperature. These gujiyas keep well for at least 2 weeks in an airtight container.

These gujiyas are sometimes further dipped in sugar syrup. The consistency of the sugar syrup varies. The sugar syrup can be quite dry or even a little liquid resulting in different tasting gujiyas. I most often like it without the extra sugar though the other kinds have their own place in my heart;-) .

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Paryushan parv recipes-The festival of forgiveness

A time to seek and bequeath forgiveness.
Let me start by saying "Michhami Dukkadam" to all which means 'I am sorry ,I beg for forgiveness for all hurts caused by me knowingly and unknowingly'.This parv (festival) is celebratedevery year in the auspicious month of Bhadrapad of the calendar and extends from the fifth day to fourteenth day ( panchami to chaturdashi) of the bright fortnight by 'Jains' all over the world.It is time to celebrate the natural qualities of the soul.During this period Jain practice various penaces,vows,fasts,spiritual studies.
During Paryushan Jain do not eat potatoes,onion and garlic.In addition they also avoid green vegetables such as cauliflower,corn,cabbage.Jain believe greens have life and eating them is a sort of violence.All root vegetables are avioded during this period.
Only simple saatvik food is taken in this holy period.Milk,Milk products,rice,lentils,cereals,pulses and dryfruits take centre stage around this period.
Foodies try various recipes and combinations that are simple and delicious and stay within traditional parameters .Usually raw banana replaces potato and many interesting recipes are invented.Lentils are used in different ways to make food interesting.
Celebrating this parv by presenting these delicacies....

Raw banana kachori                                                            

Ingredients                                                                                

1/2 cup semolina (suji)
1/2 cup all purpose flour ( maida)
2 raw bananas (boil them along peel) remove the peels and mash them
2 green chilly chopped
2 teaspoon fresh cream (malai)
1 teaspoon pomrgranate seeds dried (anardana powder)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon chopped cashews
1 tablespoon chopped raisins
salt
ghee/oil for frying

 METHOD

Sieve semolina,baking powder,maida twice.Add cream salt and make a pliable dough ( neither tight nor loose).Keep aside for 20 mins.
Stuffing :
Prepare stuffing by mixing mashed bananas,cashews,raisins,pomegranate seeds,salt and lemon juice.
Knead the dough again by greased palm.It will give flexibility to dough.Divide the dough in large lemon size equal parts.
Take one part of the dough and with your fingers flatten the edges and make into 3-inch circle.Leaving center little thicker then edges around it.
Mold the dough into a cup shape and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center.Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the filling.Repeat the same with rest balls.Let the filled balls rest for 5min before rolling.
Set the kachoris on a surface with the seam side facing up.Using the base of your palm ,slowly fltten them into about 3inch circle.( Do not use rolling pin.Rolling pins will causethe kachoris to have small holes ,allowing oil to fill the kachoris)
Preheat oil for deepfrying on medium.Fry these stuffed kachoris on medium low heat).After they start to puff flip them to other side.
Serve with green chutney and tamarind chutney. Enjoy

APPLE FUDGE ( Apple ki Burfi)                                                        
INGREDIENTS

500 gm ripe apples
125 gm ghee(clarified ghee)
300 gm sugar
250 gm khoya (mawa)
assorted nuts ( almonds,pistachios and chironji chopped)

METHOD

Wash the apples. Peel them  .Grate them.Boil them in water till they are softened.Drain them and squeeze them properly.Heat ghee in a pan and saute grated apple tlll they change their colour to pink.Add mawa and saute for 2 more mins.
Meanwhile prepare sugar syrup of two thread consistency.Boil sugar with 1/2 cup water for 7-8 mins.Switch off the flame.Add sauteed apple and mawa.Switch on the gas .Stir the mixture for 2-3 mins.Spread on a greased plate.Garnish with chopped nuts.Let it cool.Cut in desired shape.Enjoy
Wish everyone a very pious 'PARYUSHAN PARV'.

celebrating lord krishna's birthday -the great teacher

may natkhat nandlal come to your house and takes away all your "makhan and mishri"with all your worries and sorrow and gives you happiness,health and prosperity.this year teachers day and janmashtami coincide on 5 september 2015..." गुरु गोविंद दोउ खङे काके लागू पाया,बलिहारी गुरु आपने गोविंद दियो बताय"

celebrate kanha's birthday by preparing sumptuous dishes.since banke bihari is a food lover so treat the lord,your family and yourself by preparing farali(vrat) items as every ardent devotee pamper ladoogopal by observing fast,so here i am with a falhari platter.in our community it is customary to prepare panchamrit,dhaniya panjiri,makhane ki kheer and various pag (dessert made with sugar syrup). i bring these delectable janmashtami recipes......

sabudana (sago) lollypop

ingredients

1 cup sago /sabudana/pearl tapioca soaked in 3/4 cup water for 2 hrs

\4 boiled and mashed potato
1/2 cup roasted and deskinned peanuts
3 green chillies chopped
coriander leaves chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
rock salt
oil for frying
12 icecream sticks
method
drain sago completely.mix with all the above ingredients mentioned above(except oil).mix the mixture properly.keep covered for 1 hour.make lollypops on icecream sticks.keep in refrigerator for 20 min.fry in hot oil on medium flame.serve with green chutney

banana dahivada

ingredients

3 raw bananas

cashewnut 8 chopped                                              
1/2 teaspoon mint powder
1/2 teaspoon roasted jeera powder
2 table spoon water chestnut (singhara)flour
raisins 8
2 cup whisked curd
rock salt
oil for frying

method

boil bananas without peeling them.after boiling peel them and mash them.add waterchestnut flour and salt.grease your pa;m.take some mixture in your palm.add some cashews and raisins.lightly seal them and make small ball.fry till golden on medium flame.soak these vadas in warm water for 15 min.gently squeeze to remove extra water.whisk curd.add vadas ,garnish with jeera powder and mint powder.you can also add some tamarind chutney.

nariyal meengi paag (coconut melon seeds fudge)

ingredients

dessicated coconut 1/2 cup      
sugar 2 cup
meengi/magaz/melon seeds 1 cup
mixed nuts 1/2 cup
water 1 cup

method

dry roast dessicated coconut,meengi and mixed nuts separately for 4 mins
coarsely grind melon seeda and mixed nuts.meanwhile prepare sugar syrup by cooking sugar and water in pan for 10 min until 2 strings consistency is reached in the sugar syrup.add coconut,mixed nuts and meengi in sugar syrup and immediately spread the mixture on greased plate.when the spread is slightly warm cut it into desired shape.

assortment of sattu

may the swings of joy fill your heart with love,happiness and abundant fortune...happy teej to all my lovely friends.

kajli teej or badi teej is celebrated three days after 'rakshabandhan".teej can be described as a festival for women and maidens.fasting is performed by women for their husbands long and prosperous life.even maidens keep fast for their prospective grooms.after the moon arrives at night the women breaks the fastby taking a bite of special sattu.infact teej and sattu are synonymous.sattu is prepared by mixing various cereals and pulses with ghee and sugar.so here i come with the assotment of sattus specially for you

 Daliya ka Saatu

  Ingredients:

Dalia Atta [roasted gram powder]         :   2 cups

Powder sugar :   1 cup

Ghee                   : 1 cup

For decoration:   Cardamom powder, Saffron, cut/sliced Almond, Pistachios and Cashews, Coin or Supari

Add dalia powder, powder sugar and cardamom powder in a bowl. Mix it well. Slowly add ghee (as needed) and mix well again. Once you have enough ghee, thoroughly incorporate it in the atta to make sure it is well coated. Make pinda or laddu or spread the mix in the plate and press it hard. Put a coin or supari in the center. Decorate as you like.

Aate ka Saatu

Ingredients:

Fine Atta or Maida: 1 cup

Water: 1/4cup

Ghee:  1/4cup 

Sugar powder; ½ cup

Ghee (for Roasting):½ cup

For decoration:  Cardamom powder, Saffron, cut/sliced Almond, Pistachios and Cashews, Coin or Supari

Take fine atta or maida in a mixing bowl or a big plate. Add water and ghee one at a time to atta or maida. (Water and ghee must be warm). Mix them lightly (do not make paste) and press the mixture to make a small hill and cover it for 1 hour.  Break the small hill and mix it well with hand. This coarse crumbly mixture that you get is called mogri.  Sieve the mixture with medium spaced sieve. You will see small granular. Add the Ghee (for roasting) in the pan and once the ghee is melted add the mixture to it and roast it till it is pinkish in color. Take it off the stove and let it cool, Set aside to cool. Once cooled, add powdered sugar and mix it well. Add cardamom and saffron to the mixture. Make Pinda/ Saatu or or spread the mix in a plate and press it hard.  Put a coin or supari in the center. Decorate as you like.

Chawal ka Saatu

Ingredients:

Rice Flour: I cup

Ghee: 1/4 cup

Sugar Powder:1/4cup

For decoration:   Cardamom powder, Saffron, cut/sliced Almond, Pistachios and Cashews, Coin or Supari

Roast the rice flour on medium-low heat for about 7 to 8 minutes till its color changes to slightly off-white.  Take it off the stove. Let it cool.  Pour warm melted ghee in the flour and sugar powder and mix it well.  Spread the mix in a plate and press it hard or make pinda/ Saatu. Put a coin or supari in the center. Decorate as you like.