Googra/ Gujiya

Updated : 03/11/2020
Must have Gujarati Goodies during Diwali – Googra/ Gujiya
For most Gujarati homes,Diwali is incomplete without Googra/ Gujiya.
Other must have are:
Chevdo (savory mixture potato crisps, fried chana dal, moong and poha). When my mother in law was here in Mombasa, we would make a huge quantity of chevdo. Its actually takes about 1-2 hours to make it.
Mathias (usually made from sprouted moth and urad dal). This was another savory that we made at home.
But nowadays I don’t make chevdo or mathia at home. I buy the ready made chevdo, and ready rolled out mathia. I fry them at home. A good way to support small businesses as it actually helps the women to run their homes.
What is Googra/ Gujiya?
Googra/ Gujiya is a fried Indian sweet pastry. The filling varies from region to region. Its either made from semolina, solid milk called khoya or mawa, coconut, paneer or nuts. The pastry dough is usually made from all purpose flour and ghee. The pastry is filled with the sweet filling and then deep fried over medium to low heat till it becomes crispy. While some parts of India make googra/ gujiya during Holi festival, Gujaratis make it for Diwali. Also known as karanji in Maharashra, Purukiya in Bihar, Soma in Tamil Nadu, Garijalu in Telangana, Kajjikaya in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Nevri in Goa
Googra/ Gujiya my favorite:
I am not a big fan of mathias but googras, I simply love them. I prepared a few to parcel some to both my sons and for home. My grandmother probably must be looking down on me with a huge frown as I use oil and not ghee for deep frying the googras. I learnt how to make the filling from Nunu and creating those cute tiny decorative twists from my mum. The pastry recipe is my mum’s as they always turn out flaky and crispy.
Are they easy to make?
Not really, as its pretty time consuming but Googra/ Gujiya taste awesome. I make the filling the previous day and then stuff them and fry them the next day. Nowadays you get gujiya moulds which makes filling them really easy. However, I prefer the make small ones by hand.
Diwali Memory – 2012
Blogging has taken a back seat for quite a while as I have been busy and by the end of the day am exhausted. Guests, cleaning the house and preparing goodies for Diwali. Diwali started off on not such a happy note as while exercising I hurt my toe and got a few stitches. So cooking up a storm in the kitchen immediately stopped. Can’t invite friends and relatives for a meal for a few days and hubby dear is busy pampering me. Oh well, will enjoy it while it lasts.
Ingredients required for Googra/ Gujiya:
Semolina – sooji, not the flour but fine or medium sooji.
Desiccated Coconut – unsweetened
Almond Powder – preferably coarse powder
Pistachio Powder – preferably coarse powder
Poppy Seeds – khus thus, white one. Optional, if you don’t get it in your area.
Powdered Sugar – I prefer to grind at home.
Nutmeg Powder – jaiphal
Cardamom Powder – elachi
Raisins – optional. If using, its best to chop them into half. During frying they plump up and may cause the pastry to open up.
Ghee – need the solid part for both the filling and the pastry. If you prefer to fry googra in ghee then you need to increase the quantity required.
Oil – for deep frying if you’re not using ghee
Plain Flour – all purpose flour for the pastry
Warm Milk – to make the pastry dough
Some Important Tips to read before you start making Googra/ Gujiya:
Dough Consistency should be right: not to hard or too soft. Think consistency of play dough, must be pliable. In many countries the all purpose flour has more gluten unlike in India and Kenya. So you need to add warm milk accordingly. Also do not knead the dough too much. Just enough to bring the mixture together.
Why they can open up on frying:
- Dough is hard and you have not sealed the filling well. Press it edges well before making the twist pattern.
- The oil or ghee is not hot enough. You must first heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the googra or gujiya and then lower the heat. Before adding the next batch, make sure the oil is heated again over medium heat.
- Too much ghee in the filling. The ghee becomes hot and melts requiring space and results in the googra opening up.
- Too much filling will cause the googra to open up.
- If the edges of the pastry have the filling, then it you will not be able to seal it well.
- When you fill and shape the googra make sure you cover them with a damp cloth. If they dry out, then they will open up on frying.
- Make sure the dough is covered with a damp cloth.
Always fill one and fry first.
If it opens up then you need to check if the filling and dough are right. Read the above tips.
Adjust the spices according to your taste.
My family loves it with a bit of extra nutmeg and cardamom.
Filling:
- Make sure you roast the semolina well in the ghee over low heat and till its pink.
- After adding all the ingredients to the roasted semolina, the mixture should be like semi wet sand, moist but not able to shape it.
- If you find that the final mixture is too wet, then add a bit more almond flour to get the right consistency.
Dietary Tips:
Its sweet so best to consume in moderation

GOOGRAS/ GUJIYAS
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
- ½ cup semolina sooji
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
- ½ cup coarse almond powder
- ¼ cup coarse pistachio powder
- 5 to 6 tbsps khus khus optional
- 1½ tsps nutmeg powder
- 2 tsps cardamom powder
- 1¼ to 1½ cups powdered sugar sieved
- 2 to 3 tbsps chopped raisins optional
- 6 tbsps solid ghee
FOR THE PASTRY:
- 2 - 2 ¼ cups plain flour
- 5 to 6 tbsp solid ghee clarified butter
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp warm milk
- ghee or oil for deep frying
Instructions
PREPARATION OF THE PASTRY DOUGH:
- Sieve the flour.
- Add ghee and rub it into the flour. It should resemble like bread crumbs.
- Add the warm milk and form into a dough which is not too soft and not too hard.
- Cover the dough and leave it for 30 minutes.
PREPARATION OF THE FILLING:
- Heat ghee in a pan over low heat. When it melts, add the semolina.
- Cook the semolina in the ghee, stirring constantly till it becomes light pink in colour. The mixture should appear a bit runny.
- Add coconut and roast for 1 to 2 minutes till it gets roasted and gives out an aroma. Remember to keep on stirring it. It should not get burnt.
- Add almond, pistachio powder and poppy seeds. Mix well and remove the pan from the heat.
- Let the mixture become a bit cool. Add sugar, raisins if using any, cardamom and nutmeg powder.
- Mix very well. Adjust the spices according to your taste if you like.
PREPARATION OF GOOGRA/ GUJIYA:
- Divide the dough into tiny marble size balls. Keep the dough pieces covered as you don't want it become dry.
- Keep a large tray or plate ready with a clean cloth to cover the googras.
- Take a piece of the dough and roll it out into a 2" diameter circle.
- Take about a teaspoonful of filling and place it in the middle of the circle.
- Gather up the top and bottom edge and press them together to form a half moon shape.
- Starting at one pointed side, using your thumb and forefinger, press and twist the dough to completely seal it.
- Place the filled googra in the tray or plate and cover it with a cloth.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Heat oil or ghee over medium heat. It is ready when you drop a small bit of the dough into the oil and it comes up immediately.
- Lower the heat and fry 6 to 8 googras at a time till they become light pink in colour. Keep turning them gently around using slotted spoon.
- Repeat with the remaining googras.
- Store them in an airtight jar when they cool down.
Notes
- If you use raisins in the filling you must chop them otherwise the whole ones plump up while frying and cause the googra to open up.
- If any of the googras open up during frying remove it immediately as the semolina will stick to the pastry and make them appear not too appetizing.
- Don't let the dough become dry or else the googras will open up while frying.
- Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth.
- The filling should not appear too greasy.
- After frying each batch, heat the oil to the right temperature and then reduce the heat.
- Instead of poppy seeds add more nut powder or semolina.
- If you cannot seal them with the twisted pattern, use a pastry cutter.
- Make sure you add enough ghee in the dough as you want the googras to turn out flaky like a pie.
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A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
26 Comments
Nivedhanams Sowmya
November 7, 2013 at 8:14 am
I also made this for this Diwali… adding nuts makes it even more richer!! Thanks for sending this yummy recipe to my event.. Looking for more yummy recipes…
Sowmya
Jayashree T.Rao
November 4, 2020 at 1:24 pm
We call it as Karchikayi in South India, the stuffing also looks a bit different. These look delicious and make a good festive treat.
mayurisjikoni
November 4, 2020 at 1:25 pm
Thanks Jayashree, as I mentioned different regions have different gujiya recipes.
Hem lata srivastava
November 4, 2020 at 1:55 pm
We always make gujhiya on holi but with suji filling I have never tried. I can feel the taste and aroma.
Perfect preparation
mayurisjikoni
November 4, 2020 at 4:03 pm
Thank you so much Hem Lata. For us its a Diwali treat and for Holi its malpua.
Preethicuisine
November 4, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Gujiya looks so crisp. I love the flavours of the stuffing with so many delicious ingredients. We usually make it with mixed. It’s or coconut jaggery filling something similar to kadubu.
mayurisjikoni
November 4, 2020 at 4:01 pm
Thank you Preethi. That’s an interesting filling with coconut and jaggery.
Swati
November 4, 2020 at 4:27 pm
Gujjiya is a must make during festivals especially on Holi.. we use mawa and coconut with nuts for making filling.. never used sooji and poppy seeds..in Mumbai I saw many Maharashtrian and Gujarati neighbours making these with almost the same filling and these taste so delicious .. loving your pics here .. gujiyas look so flaky and must be so delicious and are so festive!!
mayurisjikoni
November 4, 2020 at 10:52 pm
Thank you so much Swati. I know of some families who make them with khoya but mostly all in my family make the semolina one as it stays fresh for a longer period.
Super duper kitchen
November 4, 2020 at 7:54 pm
Gujiya looks so inviting. I loved the crispy outer covering along with the stuffing. I loved the combination of ingredients used in this stuffing. Usually I make khova stuffing since it is my fav.
mayurisjikoni
November 5, 2020 at 5:27 pm
thank you so much Niranjana.
Jolly
November 6, 2020 at 3:57 am
Gujjiya is a must sweet dish during Holi, we use coconut with khoya & lots of nuts as a filling but never used poppy seeds, I am sure adding poppy seeds into filling must be more delicious and crunchy flavors. These gujiya’s looks so crispy & perfect. So beautiful clicks!!
mayurisjikoni
November 6, 2020 at 6:29 pm
Thank you so much Jolly.
Hina Shah
November 7, 2020 at 10:19 pm
I followed the recipe and the filling is delicious. Made them and they looked perfect but when frying they all.opened up. Any idea what might have gone wrong when making them?
mayurisjikoni
November 8, 2020 at 3:41 pm
Hi Hina, first of all, was the temperature of the oil for frying too low? Was your dough too hard? Also when you make the twists you have to make sure its pressed down with your fingers well to seal before you make the twist patterns. Also the other reason could be too much filling. Next time, please try frying one first before you fill and fry the rest. Thank you so much for trying the recipe.
Shobha Keshwani
November 9, 2020 at 6:08 am
I love these so much. The coconut filling tastes awesome. Your gujiyas colour is perfect. I haven’t made these myself still. Always eaten the ones that my friends keep sending. I once made gujiyas with mawa filling though . Even those taste so good.
mayurisjikoni
November 9, 2020 at 5:06 pm
Thank you so much Shobha. Try them one day.
Mina Joshi
November 9, 2020 at 1:28 pm
The googras look perfect. Homemade are the best. I used to help MIL make them but not made any recently as my SIL always sends me some. I am going to try making these next week – once I have eaten some of the sweets already made for Diwali. Like you I like mine with lots of cardamom and nutmeg.
mayurisjikoni
November 9, 2020 at 5:04 pm
Thank you so much Mina. You’re so lucky to get them from your sister in law.
Priya Vj
November 9, 2020 at 1:35 pm
I simply love googras and yours looks just lipsmacking and delicious. How i wish to lay my hands on these lovely deep fried crispies
mayurisjikoni
November 9, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Thanks Priya.
Priya Srinivasan
November 11, 2020 at 6:12 pm
Gujiyas looks very tempting and festive mayuri ji! Love the filling, simple , yet delicious. Such detailed notes on how to make it perfect!!! A wonderful treat to enjoy this festive season!
mayurisjikoni
November 11, 2020 at 7:48 pm
Thank you so much Priya. Though simple, its important to follow the tips for perfect googras.
Mireille E Roc
November 13, 2020 at 7:01 am
I made these once but filling was a little different. I would try this Gujarati version in a second. I can’t wait to make it for this year’s Diwali!
mayurisjikoni
November 16, 2020 at 8:43 pm
Thanks Mireille, enjoy them for Diwali.
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