Easy Gulgula Recipe
Easy Gulgula Recipe, also known as Gulgule or Pue. I have seen many of these recipes on google and every single recipe is made so differently.
Easy Gulgula Recipe
Here in SA we call it Gulgula, it is similar to deep-fried drop doughnuts. We use nutmeg, cardamom or some use vanilla for the flavouring.
For the Gulgule or Pue fennel is used and some add banana. It’s amazing how in different parts of the world we make similar treats with slight variations.
There are some recipes here in SA that also adds bananas to the list of ingredients. But for me that’s a NO.
I still remember how my mum made them, pillowy soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.
We only ever made Gulgulas during a prayer or a festival. Therefore it had to be offered to the Lord first and only then could we eat it.
So we hardly ever ate it warm. And for some odd reason I’ve come to like it that way.
When I was testing this recipe it felt odd eating a warm gulgula. However, I did appreciate that extra crispness which I hardly ever got to experience before.
Everyone has their own version of a gulgula. I wanted mine to be as authentic as I remember it.
My cousin said I should use cake flour with a bit of self-raising flour and baking powder. I did try it that way but I personally did not like it.
It was far too light and airy and that’s not the way I remember Gulgula. However, everyones taste is different so each to their own.
I am still very old-fashioned and I prefer sticking to recipes just as I remember them from home.
After all my blog is that place called home. When I feel nostalgic these are the recipes I want to go back to.
I will leave the new inventions to the creative cooks, that’s looking for some adventure. I want to stick to my roots.
Ingredients Required
To make the gulgula you will need self-raising flour, sugar, cardamom powder, dessicated coconut, almond powder and milk.
I don’t like the taste of baking powder, as I have said before. Therefore I prefer self-raising flour. You can use cake flour with a teaspoon of baking powder if you prefer.
You can also omit the dessicated coconut if you prefer. I love coconut so I always add some.
How to make the Gulgulas
Gulgulas are pretty simple to make. You will need to sift the flour in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix it all together.
The milk is then added, a little at a time. You will need to form a thick batter. If the batter it too thin then you will have tails forming when frying the gulgulas.
If your batter is of perfect consistency you will have perfectly round gulgulas. You can watch the video for the consistency.
Gulgulas are best eaten fresh. However, you can store them in an airtight container if you haven’t eaten them all.
They will not have the same crispness but it will still taste good.
More Recipes to try:
Gulgula Recipe
Ingredients
- 1&1/2 cup self-raising flour see note 1
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon dessicated coconut
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon almond powder
- 1&1/4 cup cold milk see note 2
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and almond powder and mix well.
- Slowly add in the milk (you may not require all of it) and use a whisk or your hands and beat the mixture until well combined. The batter will be thick and a little sticky.
- Heat some oil in a pan, on medium heat. You should have enough oil to immerse the gulgula batter. Take some of the batter, using your fingertips and drop it into the oil.
- Allow the batter to fry gently on a medium to low heat. Do not let it cook too quickly as the inside will not be fully cooked.
- Use a fork and gently turn the gulgulas. It should be slightly brown when ready.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove them, ensuring all the oil is completely drained.
- Place in a paper towel lined dish to drain out the excess oil.
Notes
- Self-raising flour is what my mum used in her gulgulas and I prefer it this way. I added a bit of baking powder because it gives the gulgulas a nice crisp exterior. For me it is the authentic way, just as I remember it. If you want a more aerated, light gulgula you can use 1 cup cake flour and 1/2 cup self-raising flour with a 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
- The quantity of the milk is just a guideline. Remember weather and the season plays a huge role in the amount of liquid required. In summer flour is more wet so you will require less milk. In winter the flour is dry so you will require more milk. I made these on a freezing day so I used more milk. I also made it on a very hot day and I used much less milk. Cold milk also gives the gulgulas a crisp exterior.
- If you prefer can use nutmeg instead of cardamom. However, I prefer the flavour of cardamom. Some recipes also calls for vanilla essence, however in Indian sweet treats we hardly ever use vanilla.
- If your batter is the right consistency you will form perfectly round gulgulas. So i suggest you make the batter thick and test a little batter in the oil. That way you will gather if you need to add more milk.
- To test oil readiness, place the back of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil around it bubbles rapidly you will know the oil is at the right temperature for frying.
- You can dip your fingers in a bowl of water to allow the batter to slip from your fingers easily, however I skipped this step.
