Cajure (Indian Fried Sweet Pastries)
Traditional Indian sweet fried pastries made with semolina, ghee, sugar, and milk, shaped like shells and deep-fried until golden brown. These crispy, sweet treats are similar to shakarpara or gujiya.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Semolina (soojee/rava) (One seer is approximately 2 pounds or about 2 cups)
- 4 tablespoons Ghee, for dough (Clarified butter)
- 1 cup Sugar (Half a seer, approximately 1 pound or 1 cup)
- 0.5 cup Milk (Quarter seer, approximately half pound or half cup)
- 0.5 cup All-purpose flour (Or as needed to make a firm dough)
- 3 cups Ghee, for deep frying (Or enough for deep frying)
More recipes using Semolina
Soojee Fritters (Tea-Table Sweet)
Delicate fried semolina fritters made with eggs and milk, served as a sweet tea-time treat. These golden-brown fritters are crispy on the outside and soft inside, finished with a dusting of crystallized sugar.
Sooji Halwa (Semolina Pudding)
A traditional Indian sweet made with roasted semolina, ghee, sugar syrup, nuts, and aromatic spices. This rich dessert is molded into shapes while hot and served as a festive treat.
Suji Halwa / Semolina Dessert
A delightful Indian dessert made with semolina, ghee, sugar, and cardamom, offering a rich and aromatic treat.
Hulluah (Semolina Halwa)
A traditional Indian sweet made from semolina (sooji/suji) steeped in water to create a milk, then cooked with sugar, ghee, and aromatic spices. This rich, fragrant dessert is molded into shapes while warm.
Instructions
- 1In a large mixing bowl, combine the semolina with 4 tablespoons of ghee. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until the ghee is evenly distributed and the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- 2Add the sugar to the semolina-ghee mixture and mix well together until evenly combined.
- 3Pour in the milk gradually, a little at a time, mixing continuously to incorporate it evenly into the mixture.
- 4Add the flour gradually, mixing as you go, until you have a firm dough. Knead the dough well for about 5 minutes until smooth and pliable. The dough should be firm enough to hold its shape when molded.
- 5Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow it to rest for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature. This resting period helps the semolina absorb the liquids and makes the dough easier to work with.
- 6In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai, heat the ghee over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C), or until a small piece of dough dropped in sizzles and rises to the surface immediately.
- 7Take portions of dough about the size of walnuts (approximately 1 tablespoon each). Roll each portion into a ball, then press and shape them into shell-like forms using your fingers or the back of a fork to create ridges.
- 8Carefully slide 4-5 shaped pastries into the hot ghee, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry them, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until they acquire a rich golden-brown color on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. The pastries should be crispy on the outside.
- 9Remove the fried cajure with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Repeat the frying process with the remaining shaped dough. Allow the pastries to cool completely before serving or storing.
