Paneer Gujiya

Deep fried cottage cheese dumplings 

Celebrating the Festival of Colours - Holi !!

Holi is here and it is time for gujiya, a must have sweet on this festival.

Holi is not just about playing with colors but also offering/exchanging homemade sweets and namkeens with friends and family.

Staying abroad it is sometimes difficult to get khoya(a dairy product used in Indian sweets). So I tried this paneer gujiya. The filling is made in the same traditional way except that the khoya is replaced with paneer and condensed milk. Do try this paneer gujiya it is very soft and yummy.

Ingredients:

1.  1/2 kg plain flour (maida)

2.  300 gm paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

3.  300 gm condensed milk

4.  cow ghee (clarified butter)

5.  15-20 almonds

6.  15-20 cashew nuts

7.  1 tablespoon dried melon seeds

8.  1 tablespoon chironji seeds (cuddapah almonds)

9. 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

10. 2 tablespoon raisins

11. 1 bowl grated coconut

Steps:

1. Heat a cup of ghee and a glass of water separately.

2. Take maida in a large bowl and add ghee slowly and keep kneading. Add ghee till you see that when you hold maida in your fist a lump is formed. Now keep adding hot water and keep kneading till a soft and firm dough is formed. keep it aside for half an hour to set.

3. Now in a pan add grated paneer and condensed milk and cook for 15 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.

4. Now let the mixture cool for some time in front of the fan. Stir or crumble the mixture with hand so that lumps are not formed.

5. Add dried melon seeds, chironji, cardamom seeds powder, cashew nuts, almonds, grated coconut and sugar to the mixture and mix well.

6. In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon maida and 3 tablespoon water and mix.

7. Now to make the dumplings take some maida dough and make puri. On the sides of the puri gently spread the maida and water mixture using your finger. this will help the sides to stick and the gujiya will not open while frying.

8. Put a tablespoon of mixture in the puri and fold it into a semicircle. Now close the circular end in any form you want either using gujiya shaper or making a design with hands. 

9. Now deep fry on medium heat till it turns slightly brown.

10. If you wish you can eat as it is or sugar coat them by dipping in sugar syrup.