Diwali - an Indian festival where just about everything is lit up. The skies, with luminous crackers. Faces, with bright smiles. And palates, with the most diverse set of delicacies. One such delicacy is the Gujiya.

Traditionally made in the northern parts of India, especially Punjab, gujiya could be classified as a deep-fried dumpling made of semolina (suji) and flour (maida). This dumpling is stuffed with a mixture of sweetened mawa (milk solids) and dried fruits. It also has similarly-shaped ‘cousins’ right here at home - purukiya (Bihar), ghughra (Gujarat), kaaranji (Maharashtra), nevaryo (Goa), kajikaya (Andhra Pradesh) and somas (Tamil Nadu). 

When Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor gives it a spin, adding some Tata Sampann Chhole Masala to the mix, you know it’s a dish waiting to be devoured. 

Punjabi chhole, another dish widely popular in northern Indian states, is a delicacy many Indians swear by. Made from chickpeas, this highly-fibrous and high protein dish is as much as a street-food favourite as it is a banquet-hall preparation.

And how does Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor manage to bring the best of both these world into the ‘Pindi Chhole Gujiya’? Here’s how:

For the pindi chhole:

• Add 1 tablespoon of ghee and 2 finely chopped onions to a frying pan on medium flame.
• Saute till well browned.
• Then, add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste. Followed by 1 cup of tomato puree. And don’t forget to mix it well!
• Add 1 tablespoon of Tata Sampann Punjabi Chhole Masala, intact with its natural oils.
• After that, in goes three-fourths of a cup of chickpeas stock.
• Followed by one-and-a-half cup of boiled, unpolished Tata Sampann Kabuli Chana – soaked overnight and cooked till soft before adding.
• Add to that, 2 green chilies, slit. And mix well.
• Some salt to taste.
• Mix and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

For the gujiya:

• Make some whole-wheat flour dough (a healthier option to maida) as required.
• Shape into portions & roll out into discs.
• Fill each disc with some pindi chhole. And seal the edges with some water.
• Shape the discs into gujiyas.
• Deep-fry the stuffed gujiyas into hot oil on the pan.
• Once done, drain the oil from the gujiyas by placing it on some paper napkins.

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