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.
Looking for some different recipes for Diwali.. This one sounds interesting.. Bookmarked it
Thanks Sowmiagalley!!
yumm easy to make gur para instead buying from market its better to make self a delicious gur para.
thank you :*
You are welcome Jyoti! Glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Instead of dipping in gur syrup can we not knead the dough in gur water.So we dont have to dip in syrup or else it can turn soggy.
Thanks for stopping by Sheetal!! Jaggery doesn’t make the gur para soggy. Gur pare are not dipped rather tossed and turned in the syrup so that each piece is coated well. Once they are coated, let it air dry and they will turn crispy.
You can surely try it the other way.
Here in Kolkata sugar is used instead of gur and commonly called gaja
Thanks for sharing Banani, learnt something new today. 🙂
If sugar is used we call it shakarpare!
Madam, what is the difference between baking soda & baking powder, can baking powder be used instead of baking soda.
Thanks & regards
Rajesh,
Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents (raising agents) but they are chemically different. A simple difference will clear the confusion –
Baking soda – is actually Sodium bicarbonate or Bicarbonate of soda. It needs to be mixed with an acidic ingredient (like lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk or vinegar) to have a chemical reaction.
Baking Powder – contains baking soda. In fact, it is a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch.
Hope this helps!
can baking powder be used instead of baking soda.
You sure can. It all depends on the recipe! It will require 3 times the amount of baking powder to replace baking soda in a recipe.