Coconut gujiya
These gujiya are sweet morsels of crispy fried pastry stuffed with fresh coconut and ground cardamom.
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- 120g/4¼oz fresh grated coconut
- 80g/2¾oz dark brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp raisins
For the pastry dough
- 170g/6oz plain flour or maida, plus extra for dusting and rolling
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp milk, to seal the pastry
- vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep frying
Method
For the stuffing, heat a frying pan over a low heat. Add the coconut, sugar and cardamom and fry for 8 minutes. Now add the raisins and mix well, frying for a further 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the mixture to cool slightly while you make the dough.
Place the flour, butter and salt in a large bowl. Mix in 6 tablespoons water, a little at a time, until you have a smooth dough. Dust with a little flour and knead for a minute in the bowl. Cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Now divide the dough into 14 equal portions. Roll into balls. Flatten a dough ball and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 4cm/1½in disc. Use a little flour for dusting if it sticks too much. Add a tablespoon of the stuffing to the half of the pastry circle closest to you. Brush the edges with milk and fold over the upper half, sealing the gujiya to form a semicircle. Press lightly and seal well. Use a fork to crimp the edges and trim, if needed. Place the gujiya on a plate and cover with a damp cloth while you make the rest.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or wok over a medium heat until a cube of bread sizzles and goes brown when dropped in. Fry 2–3 gujiyas at a time, turning them while frying until they are golden brown. They will puff up slightly and have a crisp coating. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and keep warm while you fry the other gujiyas. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Serve warm or store in the fridge.