The old recipe file is rummaged through as Diwali, the Festival of ‘Eats’, approaches, writes RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA
A fond Diwali memory from my childhood is cooking gujiyas with my mum. She would cook the mouth-watering coconut and sugar mixture, and I would help stuff them in the pastry and wrap them into semi circles. We would then fry them together gently, as she would recount tales of how she cooked with her own mother and her sisters.
We re-enacted this private mum-and-daughter ritual when my mum visited me here in Australia one Diwali. My own daughter had just been born, and as I stood frying the gujiyas, I knew there would be many Diwali rituals I would be creating with her over the years.
Here are some of my mum’s recipes still in their original format. I’ve helped her cook from these on many an occasion, and still hope to cook them on my own (or with my daughter!) some day. The honest truth is, though, that I’m more likely to wimp out and try Indian Link’s microwave mithais…
But here’s to my mum, who I am missing so much as I prepare for this year’s Diwali.
Click for recipes:
Gujiya
1 cup plain flour
3 tbsp ghee
Pinch salt
1 cup fresh grated coconut
3 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
8 numbers almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
Oil for deep frying
Combine the salt, flour and ghee in a large mixing bowl. Rub the ghee in well. Gradually add water and knead to form a pliable dough. Cover with wet cloth and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed pan, put in the coconut, sugar, milk, chopped almonds and raisins, cardamom powder and poppy seeds (if using), and cook on medium heat. When the milk evaporates and the mixture comes together in one mass, turn off the heat. Set aside to cool.
Take small portions of dough and roll out into little pancakes. Place a spoon of stuffing at one end and roll the side over. Gently press down the outer edge with your fingers to seal (make a pattern if you want), using some milk for moisture.
Deep fry gujiyas in hot oil till golden brown.
More recipes below:
The sweet things in life: Diwali recipe for Gujiya
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