Diwali is days away and it's time to start prepping for homemade mithai and savoury chakana.

Gujiya is a delicacy that every house needs to compulsorily serve on every festive occasion be it Holi, Diwali or even Christmas. This deep-fried, crispy pastry with a mawa stuffing is not overtly sweet, until you want to dip it in a sugary syrup.

But it is a must-have on Diwali, just like go-to sweets like laddoos, barfi, et al.

Hemasri Subramanian shares her recipe that comes with a filling of walnuts, dates and rose petals.

Gujiya

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For the dough

• ½ cup aatta or wheat flour
• ½ cup maida or all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sooji or rava or semolina
• Salt to taste, around 1½ tbsp
• 2 tsp ghee
• 2 tbsp milk
• Warm water
• Oil for deep frying

For the filling

• 1 cup walnuts
• 15 pitted dates
• Dry rose petals
• 1 tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder

Method

• In a bowl, combine the wheat flour, maida, sooji, salt, ghee.
  Add the milk and mix.
  Add a little warm water and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
  Pour some ghee over it and roll and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• For the filling, in a blender grind the walnuts, dates, rose petals, cardamom powder to a coarse mixture.
  Keep aside.
• Divide the dough into small 2 cm-diameter balls and roll each ball out into a poori.
  Add 1 tsp of the stuffing in the centre, fold it and seal the edges.
  Remember to dip your fingers in water before sealing the edges.
  Repeat the process with all the pooris.
• Heat a kadhai or frying pan with oil.
  When the oil is hot, fry the gujiyas in batches.
  Keep flipping so they fry evenly.
  Drain from the oil and transfer onto a paper towel or tissue-lined plate.
  Repeat the process with the remaining gujiyas.
  Serve warm or store in an air-tight container.

Hemasri Subramanian is a Chennai-based cookery expert.

• REDIFF RECIPES