The festival of colours, Holi holds a lot of importance in Indian culture. It’s the victory of good over evil and positivity over negativity. This year, Holi is being celebrated on March 28 & 29 and thus the Holika Dahan will be celebrated on March 28.
Even though Holi is celebrated in more or less the same manner throughout the country, some states enjoy this festival in a slightly different manner. For example in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh, which is also the home of goddess Radha, Lathmar Holi is celebrated where women hit men with a lath or sticks while they try to shield themselves. The Holi celebrations of Mathura and Vrindavan are also very famous.
In Holi, besides color, dishes also have a lot of importance. Every year, before Holi (2021 Holi), people start making sweets like gujia etc. at home. The festival of colours is also incomplete with food. Like every other Indian festival, Holi too has a range of delicacies that it is synonymous with.
How to prepare Gujia at home?
On the occasion of Holi 2021, here is the quick and simple recipe to prepare gujiya at home:
Gujiya is a North Indian sweet made with ingredients like – Khoya, sugar, almonds, green cardamom, semolina and flour. It is then fried in oil and ready to be served.
Ingredients:
1 cup + 1 tbsp – Maida
2½ tbsp – Ghee
A pinch – Salt
¾ cup – Mawa, grated
½ cup – Coconut, grated
5 tbsp – Powdered sugar
2 tbsp – Cashew nuts, chopped
2 tbsp – Almonds, chopped
1 no – Apple, grated
¼ tsp – Cinnamon powder
¼ tsp -Cardamom powder
Oil to deep fry
Method:
- Combine 1 cup maida, salt and ghee in a bowl, and mix well with your hands.
- Add enough cold water to knead a soft dough.
- Rest the dough for half-hour for stuffing,
- Heat a pan and add grated mava to it.
- Stir it continuously without burning. Cook till golden brown.
- Switch off the flame. Let it cool and set again.
- Add coconut, powdered sugar, dry fruits, grated apple, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder to the mava and mix well.
- Make small balls out of dough and roll into small poories.
- Now, place the stuffing on one half of the rolled dough.
- Stick the sides and make a half-moon by sticking the edges.
- Make all gujiyas and fry them in hot oil at medium-low heat till golden in colour.
- Remove onto an absorbent paper and let them cool.
- In a pan, make sugar syrup. Once it is one-string consistency, remove it from flame and allow it to cool.
- Once the syrup is cooled, put the gujiya in the syrup and soak for few minutes. Remove from the syrup and strain it. Place the gujiya on a plate and garnish the same with chopped almonds, pistachios.
