Title: Mava Gujiya (Pastry With Sweet Nuts & Coconut Filling)
Categories: Desserts, Indian
Yield: 15 Servings
MMMMM--------------------------FILLING-------------------------------
2 tb Ghee; up to 3 tb, divided
1/4 c Desiccated coconut
1/3 c Nuts; crushed
2 tb Melon seeds (optional)
Raisins
4 oz Mava or khoya;
- grated when cold
1/2 ts Green cardamom powder
1/2 c Granulated sugar
MMMMM---------------------------DOUGH--------------------------------
1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
3 tb Ghee; melted
2 tb Dalda or shortening;
- up to 4 tb, softened
1/2 c Water; warm, or as needed
- for kneading
Oil; for frying
MMMMM---------------------------BINDER--------------------------------
1 tb All-purpose flour; plus:
1 1/2 tb Water
MMMMM---------------------------SYRUP--------------------------------
1/4 c Granulated sugar
1/4 c Water
1/8 ts Green cardamom powder
An eggless flaky pastry (or dumpling) made with flour, stuffed with
nuts and sweet milk solid filling and deep-fried.
Filling:
In a heavy bottomed pan/kadhai, heat up 1 tb ghee on low heat. Add
desiccated coconut to it and lightly toast the coconut until you
smell a nice aroma. Transfer the coconut to a big bowl. Melt another
1 tb ghee and add the nuts & melon seeds (if using) to the kadhai and
toast them on low heat. Transfer to the same bowl as coconut. Next,
on very low heat, melt another 1 tb ghee (you might not need ghee if
using homemade mava) and add the grated khoya/mava to it. On very low
heat, cook the mava until it loosens and starts becoming runny. You
will need to continuously stir it so that it does not stick to the
bottom. Once the mava starts to clump up, transfer to the same bowl.
Note: If you see a lot of fat oozing out of the mava, try to skim off
as much as you can.
Let all the ingredients completely cool. Once cold, add the cardamom
powder & granulated sugar and combine well. Set aside or refrigerate
if you are making a day ahead.
Dough:
Sift the flour once. Mix the flour with ghee and shortening 1 tb at a
time and work it with your fingers. While doing so try to make a ball
of the flour, if the flour clumps up and does not break when you drop
it, stop adding the shortening. Mix the flour gently with warm water.
Add water slowly and handle the dough gently until it comes together.
Once it's together, knead for 2 to 3 minutes and (very important)
cover it with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Binder:
In a small bowl, mix up 1 tb flour with water. It should not be
lumpy. Set aside.
Gujiya:
Once the dough has rested, pinch equal portions of the dough and keep
them covered with a damp cloth. Press each portion between palms to
make a smooth ball. Roll out each portion into a 3" circle. Dip a
finger into the binder (made earlier) and spread it all around the
edge of the rolled dough. Pick up the rolled dough into your palms
and pinch the centre of the edge on one side in such a way that one
of the ends is closed to form a semi circle. Spoon 1 tb of the
filling and bring all the edges together to form a crescent. When you
seal the edges, try to form sort of a dough border by pressing the
edges so that you can make a pattern later. Make sure the edges are
completely sealed, else the filling will ooze out while frying. Note:
Do not over-stuff the filling else when you fry the gujiyas will
puff up too much and filling will ooze out.
You could leave it as it is or use back or a fork or ravioli cutter
to make a pretty edge. I used my hands to pinch the dough and fold it
over itself to make a pattern. Place the gujiya on a plate & cover
with a damp cloth. Make all the gujiyas in the same way and let sit
covered until ready to fry.
Heat up enough oil to fry the gujiyas. The oil is at the right
temperature when you put a lithe dough into it and it comes up slowly
to the surface without sizzling away. Fry the gujiyas 2 to 3 at a
time on low heat, turning all around until golden fried in color.
Note: Do not rush the frying, else your gujiyas will have blisters
all over and they will be brown on outside but raw in the center.
Transfer to the top of a cooling rack and leave to cool.
