Peraki | Bengali Mawa Gujiya Recipe
Peraki is a seasonal Bengali dessert that resembles a turnover with a rich stuffing of milk solids or khowa, grated coconut, chopped nuts and date palm jaggery. These are deep-fried and then dipped in warm sugar syrup to get a crunchy texture on the outside while the centre remains juicy.
Servings 18 pieces
Equipment
- Stove Top
- Non-stick frying pan
- Heavy bottom Non-stick Pan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For Stuffing
- ½ cup Coconut Freshly grated
- ¼ cup Date Palm Jaggery Grated
- ⅓ cup Khowa or Milk Solids
- 1 cup Chopped Nuts Almonds & Cashew
- ½ cup Raisins
For the pastry dough
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 4 tbsp Ghee or Butter
- A Pinch of Salt
For Sugar syrup
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- First, the filling is prepared using freshly grated coconut mixed with grated date-palm jaggery, khowa and chopped nuts & raisins. Everything is cooked together on a very low heat which helps it bind. Once it is done, it is allowed to cool down completely.½ cup Coconut, ¼ cup Date Palm Jaggery, ⅓ cup Khowa or Milk Solids, 1 cup Chopped Nuts, ½ cup Raisins
- Meanwhile, the pastry dough is prepared using flour, fat (ghee or butter) and water. Knead it into a tight dough. Divide it into 18 equal portions. Keep them covered using a damp towel2 cups All-purpose Flour, 4 tbsp Ghee, A Pinch of Salt
- Roll a dough ball into a circular disc of 3 inches diameter. place a teaspoon of filling onto one half and fold the other half over it. Bring the edges together and start pinching them in to make a crimped pattern.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Now, prepare the sugar syrup by heating the sugar with water till it comes to double string consistency. Check by taking some of the syrup between your index finger and thumb and pinch. While pulling back if it forms double strings, then it is read. Be very careful, the syrup is very hot so handle with care.1 cup Sugar, ½ cup Water
- Heat the oil and deep fry the perakis or gujiyas on medium low heat till they run golden. Take them out and drop them in the syrup. Turn them over once and then take them out and keep them on a wire rack. Allow them to cool and harden before keeping them in a container.