Moong Dal Ghughra Recipe (Gujiya/ Karanji)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Vivatta Maida
• 1/2 cup Ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• Water for kneading
• Oil for deep frying
• 2 cups Green Moong Dal (Whole) soaked and steamed
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera) coarsely pounded
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf) coarsely pounded
• 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds (Til seeds)
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 2 Green Chillies finely chopped
• 1 inch Ginger grated
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. To begin making the Moong Dal Ghughra (Karanji/ Gujiya) recipe we will first prepare the filling.
2. Soak the moong dal in 2 cups of water for about 3 to 4 hours. Once soaked, drain any excess water and keep aside. Using a pressure cooker or steamer, cook the dal until soft and tender.
3. Heat oil in a non stick pan on medium heat; add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida and allow them to crackle.
4. Stir in the cooked green moong dal and the remaining filling ingredients – sugar, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, green chillies, ginger and salt. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
5. Allow the moong dal gujiya mixture to cool and divide into 20 portions and keep aside.
6. In our next step we will make the dough for the pastry crust for the Ghughra/ Gujiya
7. Combine the maida, ghee and salt, in a large bowl. Work the ghee into the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
8. Sprinkle water onto the crumbly dough and with your hands push the dough from the sides to the middle of the bowl to form a ball that holds together.
9. Be careful to add only little water at a time, and not allowing the dough to become soggy. Knead well with your hands until the dough becomes into a firm ball of dough.
10. Once rested, make 20 small portions of the gujiya dough and roll into a small 3 inch circle.
11. Place a teaspoon full of moong dal mixture onto one half of the circle. Wet your fingers into the bowl of water and spread a little water around the edges of the circle.
12. Gently fold the circle into a semi circle, forming a half moon shape. Seal the edges by pressing slightly, so that the dough sticks to each other making sure all the filling is concealed inside.
13. Decorate the edges by twisting the dough portion carefully to form a twisted shape. Continue the same procedure with the remaining dough and filling portions.
14. You can also use a calzone maker to make these gujiya and they are so much more faster and easier and you will have a perfectly filled ghughra.
15. Preheat the oil for deep frying and deep fry these gujiyas on medium heat until golden brown in color.
16. Serve the Moong Dal Gujiyas along with Green Chutney and Chai for Tea Time Snacks or even for festivals like Diwali or Holi or any special occasions with your family.