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As my granny says, this is an Indian doughnut. A “gulgula” is a popular South African snack, similar to a deep-fried doughnut. They are made for prayers and functions as a sweet offering. The batter is deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, resulting in a delicious, sweet treat.
I have the fondest memories of our prayer times when I was a kid. I remember the chaos in the kitchen, and I knew that when the gulgula’s and vedas were being made, it was almost time to pray.
There was a heap of gulgula’s and vedas. I remember standing next to my ma (gran) almost begging for a veda and gulgula, especially when she was frying them, and the heap just accumulated. And she would absolutely refuse! She would say, “Wait for the prayers; after we pray, you can have them.
From a kid, I remember the smells of our kitchen and the precision my granny took in making these wonderful delights. It brings back memories I will always cherish onto forever.
I also think it’s so important to let this kind of tradition prolong, as it teaches us to familiarise ourselves with smells and senses from a young age. We learn about recipes and tradition, and even without realising it, we are instilled with these beautiful traditions from a really young age.
A couple of years ago, back in 2017, I was tasked with making all of these delights for our Purtassi Prayer. I remember feeling so lost and wished I had a recipe book with all the details to make everything. The one thing this blog is all about is being able to find comfort in making heritage foods and allowing our South African Indian traditions to live on. So I hope you are able to follow step by step and keep this recipe in your recipe book for all your upcoming prayers.
This is my recipe that I have created with the quantities of the ingredients I enjoy. Feel free to adjust as you prefer.
INGREDIENTS
(Makes about 1 ½ dozen gulgula’s):
- 1 ½ cups Cake Wheat Flour
- 10g Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut
- ½ tsp Cardamom Powder
- 50g Sugar (add 60g for a sweeter taste)
- 150ml Cold Full Cream Milk (adjust for humidity) – A little extra might be required
- Vegetable Oil for Frying
- A deep bowl of tap water for molding
METHOD
Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a deep bowl, combine flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, desiccated coconut, cardamom powder, and sugar.
Add Milk Gradually: Gradually add cold milk to the dry ingredients. Stir until you achieve a sticky, clumpy texture.
Rest the Batter: Cover the batter with a lid or cloth and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Ideally, letting it stand for over an hour enhances the final result.
Heat the Oil: In a kadai or deep pan, heat the vegetable oil. Start with high heat and then lower it gradually. You don’t want the oil too hot, as it may not cook the gulgula’s evenly.
Shape and Fry: To shape the gulgula’s, wet your hands to control the stickiness of the batter. Practice scooping and dropping the batter into the oil using the same bowl. Scoop about a tablespoon of batter and use your fingertips to form it into a roundish shape.
Fry Until Golden: Drop the shaped batter into the hot oil. When you see bubbles forming around it and it begins to rise, you’ll know the oil is ready. Keep rotating the gulgula’s in the oil to ensure they cook evenly. Once they turn golden brown, remove them and let the excess oil drain on a paper towel.
TIPS:
- Don’t worry if your gulgulas have little horns; it’s normal.
- Practice shaping the gulgula’s in the batter bowl before frying.
- Allowing the batter to rest enhances fluffiness.
- Adjust the batter with a little more flour if it’s too wet.
- Practice makes perfect, so be patient.
- Use a small kadai to control the frying process.
- Keep a bowl of water handy for shaping the gulgula’s.
Here is a short video to watch how I shape the Gulgula’s : https://youtube.com/shorts/Vu9GkkU3GKY?si=VqnXg53Og6HckE6u
