Ghughra
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 20
This sweet snack (Empanadas) is made during the festival of Diwali.
Ingredients
For Filling:
- ⅔ cup or more Ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 cup fine ravo (crème of wheat)
- ¼ cup coconut or almond flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup confectioner sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
For Dough:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons Crisco Shortening, cold and cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½ inch dice
- ¾ cup or more cold water
For Frying:
- 1 ½ cups Crisco shortening (or neutral oil)
Directions
- Make dough: In a bowl of food processor combine all-purpose flour, salt, Crisco and butter by pulsing 10 to 12 times, until mealy. With a processor running, gradually add water until soft dough comes together. Remove from bowl and knead the dough until smooth. If dough sticks use some flour. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour while you make filling.
- Heat ghee in a wok or a frying pan on low heat, 1 minute. Add crème of wheat and combine with ghee. If the mixer looks dry, add more ghee, one tablespoon at a time. Increase heat to medium high. Sauté crème of wheat until it becomes very light, fluffy and light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. You will also see separated ghee, which is fine. Off the heat, add coconut or almond flour and cardamom. Let it cool down for 30 minutes. Add both sugars to filling. Adjust sweetness. If the mixer looks dry, add more ghee, one tablespoon at a time. The filling should stay together.
- Knead the dough couple of times. Divide the dough into 25 to 26 equal portions. Make rounds by rolling between palms and keep them covered with a kitchen towel. Roll it out one round into a thin circle, about 3 inches in diameter. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling on one side and fold it into a semi-circle. Seal the edges either with a fork or a hand and create a scalloped edge with fingers. Transfer to a plate and cover with slightly damp kitchen towel. Repeat the process for the remaining rounds, about 1 hour.
- Heat Crisco or oil in a frying pan. Deep fry the Ghughra, in batches of 4 to 5 until they are light golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Can be served as snack or light dessert at room temperature. Store in an air tight container. It can last for a week with coconut and two weeks with almonds.