Happy Holi With Gujiya (Filled with Coconut, Dry Fruits & Nuts)

Wish all my readers, followers and blogger friends A Very Happy & Colourful Holi!!!!

Holi - the festival of colors is one of the most popular festivals of the country. It is celebrated during the spring season and embodies all the festivity, liveliness and excitement of the season. Holi is the festival of young hearts. Spraying colors, dancing on traditional Holi songs, musical drum beats and wild processions are the common scenes that one comes across during this festival. The festival is associated with various legends but the most popular among them is the tale of Hollika.

On the first day, Holi Pooja takes place a day before the Holi Festival. This day is called as 'Holika Dahan'. Holika Dahan is the major ritual performed at the time of Holi which is also considered an important Holi Puja. People light bonfires on the eve of Holi festival to celebrate the victory of 'good' over 'bad' which is called Holika Dahan.

On the second day, Holi is celebrated in the most dignified manner in the state of Bengal. At Vishwa Bharti University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore founded the tradition of celebrating Holi as 'Basant Utsav' or 'Spring Festival'. Students decorate the campus with intricate rangolis and carry out prabhat pheris in the morning. Clad in a traditional attire young boys and girls sing songs composed by Gurudev. In other parts of Bengal, Holi is celebrated as Dol Yatra where the idols of Radha and Krishna are placed on a decorated and taken out in a procession.

People rub 'gulal' and 'abeer' on each others' faces and cheer up saying, "bura na maano Holi hai". Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones wrapped in a special Holi gift. A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang.People invite each other to their houses for feasts and celebrations later in the evening.

Ingredients :

For the dough ~

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons of Ghee
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar
Water

For the Filling  ~

1.5 cup fresh grated coconut
3 tablespoons cashew nuts, chopped fine
3 tablespoons raisins, chopped fine
3 tablespoons dates, chopped fine
3/4 cup sugar (Use more or less according to your your taste)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 tablespoon Ghee

For deep Frying ~

Ghee

Method :

Mix the flour, Sugar, baking soda and ghee to form a texture and consistency of bread crumbs that just about holds together. Add water a little at a time and knead to form a stiff dough. Cover the dough with a damp towel. Keep aside.

Now add some water as required and knead into soft dough.Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add coconut, sugar, cashew,cardamom powder, dates and raisins. Stir fry the coconut on a very low flame till it is a pale brownish color & dry and flaky. Keep aside.

Divide the dough into equal sized-portions and make them into balls. Roll these balls out into circles . (Tip:You can use a glass or bowl to cut out the circles)

Put a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle and fold over into a half moon. Dip your fingertips in water & press the edges tight & pleat the edges (like a Dumpling ) to seal. (If it takes too long to pleat, just press and cut little lines with knife tip as I have done). Repeat the filling process for all the circles. Keep these aside.

Heat Ghee in a pan and deep fry the gujias while occasionally turning them, till they light brown in color. Drain on Paper Towels.

Store the Gujias in airtight containers after they are cooled.

Sending this to My ongoing event "Spotlight : Colourful Holi", Surabhi's "Holi hai" event, Preeti's "Color N Sweet- HOLI FEST.... " event, Kalyani's "Holi Fest Colourful Palette" event, Krithi's "Serve It - Stir-Fried" event, Rasi's "I'm The star" event