Gur Para literally translates to delicious crispy sweet bites made with wheat flour and jaggery. This traditional Punjabi sweet ~ Gur Para or Gur Pare Recipe require a small list of pantry essentials and is specially made during the festive season or on special occasions.
Pair it with a cup of hot tea for a yummy tea time snack. In this post, both the deep-fried and baked version of gur paras are included.
Gur pare are similar to Shakarpare (sugar coated sweets). The only difference is the sweeteners. Gur pare are coated in gur/jaggery syrup, and shakarpare are coated in sugar syrup. Because of jaggery/Gur, these sweet bites have a different flavor as compared to ones prepared with sugar.
Other healthy tested and tried option is –
- coconut sugar – it is unrefined and preserves all of its vitamins and minerals
Gur pare prepared with jaggery are relished by all ages, especially during winters.
How to make Gur Para Recipe?
Gur pare are authentic Indian sweets prepared with maida, wheat flour, flavored with fennel seeds and coated with gur/jaggery syrup. Combine all the dry ingredients into a big bowl, add ghee and mix until the mixture feels crumbly.
Slowly add water and knead a soft and smooth dough. Do not add all the water at once. You may need less than what is mentioned below. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
After the resting time, roll out the dough into a big circle, cut squares and deep fry the gur pare in hot oil/ghee until golden brown.
How to prepare Jaggery syrup?
Prepare the syrup by boiling gur/jaggery in water until it is reduced to half its quantity. Gur/jaggery burns very fast, so do not leave the syrup unattended and keep stirring it continuously.
Remove from flame and toss gur pare in this syrup. They will soak up all the syrup and will become sticky and soft. No worries – spread them on a big plate in a single layer and let them dry out.
Final Step!
Transfer all the gur pare to a bowl. Sprinkle powdered gur/jaggery and shake them well. This way they get a nice coating of gur/jaggery on top.
Dust of the excess gur and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Good for 2-3 weeks, only if they last that long. 😉
So this festive season, do try out thisGur Para or Gur pare recipe. If you happen to make it, then drop me a line below. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. There is still plenty of time left to pull off this quick and easy sweet.
Also look at other Diwali sweets and savories –
Gur Para or Gur Pare Recipe
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cup Maida (All purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup Wheat Flour (Atta)
- 1/8 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/2 cup Ghee
- 1 teaspoon Roasted saunf (Fennel seeds)
- 7-8 tablespoon Water
- Ghee for Frying
GUR SYRUP
- 1 cup Gur/Jaggery in powdered form
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder (optional)
FINAL TOUCH
- 1/4 cup Gur/Jaggery in powdered form (to coat gur pare)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Assemble all the ingredients. In a pan add saunf and dry roast until light brown in color. Set it aside.
- Sift flour and baking soda together. Add roasted saunf and pour ghee in the center.
- Gradually work on the flour till mixture is crumbly. Use fingertips to rub ghee evenly into flour.
- Spoon by spoon add enough water to form a soft and pliable dough. Cover and let the dough sit for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil/ghee in a kadai. Make a large ball out of the dough and roll it into a thick chapati.
- Cut into diamond cubes and..
- Deep fry until crisp and dark brown in color.
- All fried, crisp and golden paras…
- Mix gur and water in a separate pan.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Gur/jaggery burns very fast, so do not leave the syrup unattended and keep stirring it continuously.
- Till it is reduced to half its quantity. Remove from flame…
- Mix in fried para(s) and keep mixing..
- Until all the para(s) are coated in gur syrup.
- Spread them on big plate and allow them to cool down completely.
- Since the gurparas are sticky, I like to toss all the para(s) in dry gur powder.
- Dust the extra gur and store them in an air-tight container at room temperature.
- Good for 2-3 weeks.