Gujia is a sweet dumpling made especially for the festival of colours, Holi. Normally, these are made with all purpose flour (maida), deep fried and then dunked into sugar syrup. So, you can guess how healthy the dumpling is. Plus, it is stuffed with thickened or dried milk and other ingredients. Therefore, the traditional gujia is as unhealthy as any dish can be. But, it does taste divine. Thankfully, my Man Friday – Hari – knew exactly how to make a gujia conforming to WFPB principles. I had requested him to make this for the festival which is celebrated today. He turned up the dish in aces – divine taste and fully WFPB compliant.

Ingredients
For The Cover
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi, manjal podi)
1 1/2 cups water
For The Stuffing
2 cups date paste
2 tbsp sesame seeds (safed til, ellu), roasted
1/2 cup peanuts, roasted
2 green cardamoms (elaichi, elakkai), skinned
1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan, kadalai mavu), roasted
Method
Making The Cover
Heat a wok
Add the water
Mix the wheat flour, flax meal and turmeric powder
Once the water starts boiling, add this mixture slowly, stirring continuously
Let the mixture thicken to a dough
Remove from flame and cover with a damp cloth
Set aside to cool
Making the Stuffing
Heat a wok on medium flame
Add the date paste and let it thicken
Add the sesame seeds, peanuts and cardamom to a blender
Grind to a smooth powder
Add this powder to the thickened date paste
Add the chickpea flour
Mix well
Remove from flame
Set aside
Putting It Together
Divide the dough into 10 equal portions
Roll each portion into a ball
Using a rolling pin, roll the ball into a circular disc about 4″ in diameter
Add a little of the stuffing to the centre of the disc
Fold the disc and wrap the edges as shown in the picture
Repeat for the remaining 9 portions
Transfer to a baking tray
Bake at 150^o C (300^oF) for 30 minutes
Remove from oven and serve immediately or store in an airtight jar for later consumption
If desired, drizzle a little maple syrup on the gujia before consuming
Enjoy!