Sweet Whole Wheat Fritters (Gulgule)

How can you go wrong with little bites of sweet, deep fried dough? There is no doubt about it… these hush-puppy like fritters with a chewy, crispy exterior and a soft, spongy center are delicious. The only thing to remember whilst making these fritters is to keep the batter the right consistency and to slow fry them on low heat so that they are cooked all the way through.

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Recipe

Sweet Wholewheat Fritters

(Makes about 20-22 fritters)

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour (chakki atta)
1/8 tsp baking soda 
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), lightly crushed 
1/2 tsp ground green cardamom (elaichi)
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup powdered jaggery or sugar 
1/4 cup warm water 
1/4 cup whole milk
Oil/ghee for frying 

Method

In a bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, fennel seeds, cardamom, baking soda and salt. 

Dissolve the jaggery/sugar in the warm water and strain to remove any impurities. Stir in the milk. Stir in the dry ingredients, a little at a time and use your hands or a metal whisk to remove any lumps (do not over mix). The batter should be the consistency of a pakora batter and not too runny. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes. 

Heat oil/ghee In a wok over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, lower the flame and drop tablespoons of the mixture into the oil (don’t overcrowd the wok, fry in batches, only 5-6 at a time). Fry the gulgule on low heat, turning them gently with a slotted spoon until they turn a dark, even brown (this should take about 8-10 minutes). Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate and then transfer to a serving dish. Enjoy with hot chai.