Diwali, also known as Deepavali in South India, is the festival of light and a time of joy, gathering and celebration across the country. Rooted in Hindu mythology, it is said to mark the return of Lord Rama from his exile and to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. To welcome him back home, all the streets were lit up with small lamps called diyas and like all Indian festivals, a lot of food was made.Today, homes across India still glow with diyas during Diwali, families come together to exchange gifts and the sky is bedazzled with fireworks. The other main attraction of Diwali is, of course, the food.Growing up, I always looked forward to this festival, and not just because I got three days off of school. India has a very communal culture—everyone knows their neighbors and has a connection with them—and during festival time those connections shine even more.During Diwali, my mum would make an abundance of food for both our family and our neighbors. I enjoyed dressing up for the occasion and walking over to our neighbors' homes with a box of mithai (sweet treats). I loved socializing and also trying the delicacies of the other households. In the evenings, I looked forward to lighting fireworks with my family before we sat down to have a big meal.Think of Diwali as India’s version of Thanksgiving. It’s a big feast and food plays a central role in the celebrations. The decked out Diwali table showcases regional flavors, family recipes and abundance. Families spending days preparing the food for these celebrations. But among the beloved treats, one stands out the most to me—gujiya. It's sweet and simple yet elegant, and it's a fan favorite during many Indian festivals. This stuffed pastry is also an easy thing to make at home. Read on for all you need to know about how to make gujiya for your Diwali celebration.Related: 10 Bright and Festive Recipes for Diwali?? SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Parade Eats newsletter. ??
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What Is Gujiya?
Gujiya is a deep-fried or baked pastry, sort of like a hand pie, filled with khoya (milk solids), confectioner’s sugar, desiccated coconut, cardamom, nuts and raisins. It has a perfect combination of textures with a crispy exterior and a sweet, chewy interior. While gujiya is especially popular in North India during Diwali and Holi festivals, variations of this treat appear across India under different names with different fillings. In western India's Maharashtra, it's known as karanji and is often filled with sweetened coconut and semolina. I'm from coastal Karnataka, so I grew up with a variation called nevri. Nevri is typically filled with coconut, jaggery (a type of sugar), nuts and cardamom. Though the ingredients and names may differ, the dessert as a symbol of a joyous occasion remains the same.Deep frying was practically forbidden in my household growing up, except during festival season. When the sweet smell of this sugary, filled pastry wafted through my home, I knew Deepavali was around the corner. I got to help my mum whenever she made nevri. She had a fluted pastry cutter that I would use to cut the edges of the folded, half-moon shaped pastries before she dropped them into oil. We would make a big batch of them and store them in airtight containers to be enjoyed over the upcoming days.Related: How to Make the Best Breakfast Sandwich, According to Food Network Chef Maneet Chauhan
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How To Make Gujiya
While gujiyas look elaborate, making them is quite straightforward. The process begins by bringing together a quick dough using all-purpose flour, ghee and water. While the dough rests, the filling is made by heating khoya or mawa (milk solids) in a pan and later mixing it with desiccated coconut, nuts, raisins and powdered sugar. If you're making nevri, you simply warm toasted coconut, jaggery, nuts and cardamom for the filling. Once the filling is ready, the dough is divided into small balls, rolled out into circles, filled with spoonfuls of the mixture and folded into a half-moon shape. The edges are sealed, either with the tines of a fork or by crimping them into a beautiful design. The pastries are then deep-fried or baked until golden brown and crispy.Related: The Classic Indian Recipe Padma Lakshmi Loves
Namrata Hegde
5 Tips for Making Gujiya at Home
Ready to make gujiya in your kitchen? Here's what you need to know. (For a step-by-step look at the process, see the video of me making gujiya at home above.)
Letting the dough rest for at least 30 minutes allows the gluten to relax and helps make it easier to roll out. To make quick work of gujiyas, you could swap in store-bought pie crust instead.
2. Roll it right
Just like dumplings, it's helpful to have thinner edges and thicker centers when rolling out the dough circles. Or, you can also roll out the whole piece of dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out circles using a cookie cutter or rim of a glass.
To prevent all of your hard work from going down the drain, I recommend making sure the edges of the pastries are sealed firmly so the filling doesn’t ooze out. Dabbing the edge of the dough circle with a bit of water before folding them into a half moon shape with help create a tight seal.
4. Keep an eye on the oil
Having the oil temperature be too high or low can severely affect the final product. If the temperature is too low, the gujiyas can become very oily and tough. If the temperature is too high, they will cook faster on the outside than the inside and stay raw in the middle. You're looking for an oil temperature around 350°. Check the oil before putting in the first batch and after each batch is done, adjusting the heat up and down to keep it around that 350° mark. (The oil maintenance, plus dealing with a vat of hot oil in general, is why some cooks prefer to bake guijays. If you're baking the treats, heat the oven to 375°.)
5. Get creative
Like dumplings, you can crimp gujiyas the way you prefer, so long as they are in a half-moon shape. Some use fluted cutters after folding to create a pretty shape, or you can seal them using the tines of a fork rather than crimping. Make it a fun group activity and see what everyone comes up with!
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