Recipe - Baked Gur Para A Traditionally Fired Punjabi Sweet Snack

This is the baked version of Gur Para- a traditionally fried Punjabi sweet snack made with flour and jaggery.The dough is flavored with sesame seeds, ghee and a little bit of fennel powder.The sooji (semolina) makes these gud para very flaky and crispy.

Especially when there’s an upcoming festival (like Holi is in few days), I get the urge to share such recipes which you can make easily at home and enjoy with your entire family.Baked Methi Mathri, Baked Besan Papdi and now Baked Gur Para! You can be rest assured there’s more to come.

Gur Para or Gur Pare was one of my favorite snacks growing up. I used to scan through the wedding mithai dabbas (boxes) to look for them.They were so good with chai especially during cold winters in Delhi.I haven’t had them in so long but since Holi is around the corner, I wanted to make them at home and thought of trying a baked version in stead of deep frying them.

Ingredients

1 cup atta durum wheat flour, 130 grams
2 tablespoons sooji semolina, 30 grams
1.5 tablespoons white sesame seeds 22 grams
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1/3 cup ghee 75 grams, in semi-solid form (not melted)
1/2 cup jaggery powder 65 grams, measured after sifting the powder
3/4 teaspoon fennel powder you may reduce the amount if you do not like the fennel flavor
2-2.5 tablespoons warm water as needed, 30-37 ml

Method

* Pre-heat oven to 375 F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

* In a bowl mix together atta (whole wheat flour), sooji (semolina), white sesame seeds, baking powder and pinch of salt. Set aside.

* To the steel bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or use your hand mixer, beat together ghee with jaggery powder until creamy.

* Start adding the dry ingredients into the ghee-jaggery mixture. Add slowly until it is all incorporated. Mixture will resemble crumbs.

* Now add warm water to bring the dough together. Start with 1 tablespoon of water and add more as needed to bring it all together. You will have a soft and smooth dough ready.

* Wrap the dough with a cling sheet and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.

* Then take out the dough and roll it using a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. You can trim the sides to make it a square.

* Then use a pastry wheel to cut the dough. You may also use a cookie cutter here. I cut squares around 1.5 x 1.5 inch using the pastry wheel.

* Transfer the cut squares to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 F degrees for 15 to 16 minutes until crisp. If you want them extra-crispy, you may bake for an additional 1 minute or so.

* Transfer the baked gur para to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container and enjoy with chai or coffee.