Goja o Jhiljhili

Legend has it that Alpana Sarkar once survived on Goja for seven continuous days when she was small. She loved the sweet so much that she just refused to eat anything else! Then she grew up, became our Mother & forgot all about her childhood. She started feeding us with things that she never ate as a kid. The types of karela, lauki, palak! Matridom also made her forget that if you love something, you can eat only that for one whole week & still live. So we know now how parenthood brings about amnesia to an extent that children come to think of their parents as infallible. Till the grandparents come visiting & lift the veil off some strongly guarded secrets!
It is only now, that she is a senior citizen, that mum is going back to her childhood & behaving natural. She shudders if she hears me say it is only rajma chawal for lunch today, like you would, if a lizard crawled up your back. The mention of sindhi kadhi, yet again, makes her turn pale and if it is bhindi, she behaves like a snooty Queen because she only likes hers sheddho! By the law of equalization, her children should be happy to see her defences drop. Well, not quite. By the same law, they now tell her that so & so subzi is good for such & such development. Like lauki is good for hair & eyes, remember ?! Life finally comes a full circle & how! 
When I called to ask her about the goja ingredients, the glee in her tone was unmistakable. There's just one small hitch. These ones are being made over 4988 miles away from where she is. There's another not-so-small hitch. Her health may not permit her too many gojas. A disciplined woman, she is very regimented about her intake. Nonetheless, this post is dedicated to Mother Sarkar, the greatest goja fan I know. Don't blame me if I have inherited that love. Genes & all, you see :) An easy- to- make sweet/snack, this recipe from Bengal will tame the Royal Bengal Tiger. Enjoi!
                                                                                                    Ingredients: 
Goja:
1. 2 cup maida[makes 18-20 gojas]
2. 3 tbsp refined oil for dough
3. 3/4 cup hot water for dough
4. 1/2 wok oil to deep fry
Sugar Syrup:
1. 1 cup water
2. 2 cup sugar
                                                                                                                                            Method:
1. Boil sugar in water to make thick syrup. Keep aside to cool. 
2. Knead the maida well with oil & hot water. 
    Add the water gradually. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. The smoother the dough, the crunchier the goja.
3. Divide the dough into equal sized balls, roll out like a longish poori & put 3 slits on the goja with a blunt knife.
4. For some, hold from the long end after slitting & give it a twist(see last pic below). That is a Jhiljhili. 


                                                                                                                                                 5. Deep fry on medium flame till both sides are golden brown.


6. Dip the hot gojas in the cooled sugar syrup & leave for 10 minutes.
                                                                                                                                                     Take them out when gojas are well- coated & serve hot or cold. Goja has a shelf life of over ten days. If your family, permits, ie!







                            Tip: Do not put goja/jhiljhili in hot syrup, it will turn soggy.
                                                                                                  Thank you for the recipe mommy. I am still to make them as good as yours....