Name: Kova kajjikayalu or Mawa Gujiya with a twist recipe by Swapna Sunil at BetterButter
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: For the pastry layer / the crust 1 cup All pupose flour / Maida; 1 tbsp Melted ghee / clarified butter; A pinch of salt; 1/2 tsp baking soda; Water as needed to make the dough; For the stuffing : 1/2 cup Unsweetend Mawa / khoya crumbled; 1/3 cup powdered sugar (less or more according to preference); 8 cashews powdered; 6 almonds powdered; 10 pistachios powdered; 1/4 tsp cardamom powder; For sugar syrup :; 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup water; 1/4 tsp cardamom powder; Few strands of saffron (optional)

ABOUT Kova kajjikayalu or Mawa Gujiya with a twist RECIPE

Kova Kajjikayalu is a traditional south indian dessert and widely sold at pure ghee sweet stores. These are similar to Mawa Gujiyas (except for the sugar syrup coating) made by the north indians. During my childhood this was one amongst our favorites. The crispy crunchy exterior , mildly sweet stuffing n the coated sugar syrup takes it to just snother level ... No matter how many new varieties arise , the authentic ones are unbeatable for sure !!

Ingredients Serving: 10

For the pastry layer / the crust 1 cup All pupose flour / Maida
1 tbsp Melted ghee / clarified butter
A pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Water as needed to make the dough
For the stuffing : 1/2 cup Unsweetend Mawa / khoya crumbled
1/3 cup powdered sugar (less or more according to preference)
8 cashews powdered
6 almonds powdered
10 pistachios powdered
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
For sugar syrup :
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Few strands of saffron (optional)

Instructions

In a bowl take the all purpose flour. Add the salt and mix well. Now add the melted butter mix thoroughly until crumbs are formed. Add water little by little and knead a little stiff dough. Keep it covered with wet cloth until use.
Dry roast or shallow fry the nuts until golden, cool and grind them into coarse powder. In a pan add the khoya / mawa and roast slightly without changing its color, on a low heat and cool it at room temperature until pliable.
In a bowl add the roasted khoya, nuts powder, cardamom powder and powdered sugar. Mix well.
Take a golf sized dough ball and roll into small discs, place 1 tsp or 2 tsp of stuffing in the centre. Fold into semi circle and seal the edges in a twisting method made traditionally or press the edges with a fork.
Prepare all in the same manner until all the dough and stuffing are used and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan / kadai until just hot. We don't want it to reach smoking point. Now slowly drop in 3 to 4 gujiyas / kajjikayalu at a time and fry until golden on a medium flame. Fry all the gujiyas in the same manner and set aside.
Finally for the sugar syrup : Boil the water and sugar until it attains a single thread consistency. Add the saffron, cardamom powder and turn it off. Cool it a bit before adding gujiyas.
Now drop in the fried gujiyas. Let them sit in the syrup for 15 minutes. Remove and garnish with chopped nuts and saffron.

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