Holi 2026: As the festival of colours approaches, the air is filled with the anticipation of festive treats. This Holi, let chef Ranveer Brar help you, home cooks, elevate your dessert game with a vibrant twist on the classic gujiya, which is the undisputed culinary icon of Holi, particularly in north and central India. Also read | Holi: Move over gujiya! Try these healthy and delicious nutritionist-approved recipes
Chef Brar shared the recipe of his ‘Holi special colourful pink rose gujiya’ on his blog. Moving away from synthetic food colours, his recipe utilises the deep, earthy hues of beetroot to create a stunning marbled effect that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Paired with a refreshing strawberry slush, this duo promises to be the highlight of your Holi party. His gujiya version features a unique swirl technique that combines plain and beetroot-infused dough for a sophisticated, professional look.
Here’s the full recipe:
Ingredients for stuffing
¾ cup ghee
1 cup semolina
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup dry coconut, grated
¼ cup pistachios, blanched & chopped
¼ cup almonds, chopped
¼ cup cashew nuts, chopped
2 tbsp rose water
½ tsp saffron
For dough
2 cups refined flour
¼ cup ghee
A pinch salt
Water
For coloured dough
2 cups refined flour
¼ cup ghee
⅓ cup beetroot juice
½ tsp lemon juice / vinegar
Other ingredients
Oil for frying
A pinch raw crystallized sugar
For garnish
Pistachios, blanched and chopped
Dry rose petals
Silver vark
1 cup semolina
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup dry coconut, grated
¼ cup pistachios, blanched & chopped
¼ cup almonds, chopped
¼ cup cashew nuts, chopped
2 tbsp rose water
½ tsp saffron
For dough
2 cups refined flour
¼ cup ghee
A pinch salt
Water
For coloured dough
2 cups refined flour
¼ cup ghee
⅓ cup beetroot juice
½ tsp lemon juice/ vinegar
Other ingredients
Oil for frying
A pinch raw crystallized sugar
⦿ For garnish
Pistachios, blanched & chopped
Dry rose petals
Silver vark
⦿ For strawberry slush
Ingredients
2 cups strawberry
1 tbsp rose syrup
4-5 ice cubes
⦿ For garnish
Pistachios, blanched
Strawberry, slice
Process for stuffing
⦿ In a pan heat ghee then add semolina and roast until light golden brown on medium heat.
⦿ Remove in a bowl and set aside, then in the same pan add water, sugar and bring it to a boil and let the sugar melt properly.
⦿ Now add the roasted semolina and continue cooking until the semolina has absorbed all the liquid.
⦿ Then add dry grated coconut, pistachio, almonds, cashew nuts, rase water, saffron and continue roasting until fragrant.
⦿ Remove on a tray and let it cool down completely.
For dough
⦿ In a bowl add refined flour, ghee, salt, water and knead a semi hard dough.
⦿ And set aside for further use
For coloured dough
⦿ In a bowl add refined flour, ghee, beetroot juice, lemon juice / vinegar and knead a semi hard dough.
⦿ And set aside for further use
For assembling beetroot gujiya
⦿ Take both of the rested dough and roll it thinly then apply some water on one of the rolled dough then place the other rolled dough on it and flatten it once again.
⦿ Now roll it like a swirl roll tightly and then cut it in small portions.
⦿ Take one of the portions and roll it using a rolling pin, place it in a gujiya mould, add a big spoonful of the stuffing and a pinch of raw crystallised sugar, then close the mould to give it a gujiya shape.
⦿ Same can be done with using a fork or by hand.
⦿ Now, deep-fry the gujiya in medium-hot oil until light golden brown and crispy.
⦿ Remove and let it cool. Gujiya are ready to serve.
For strawberry slush
⦿ Add all the ingredients in a blender jar and blend it until combined and smooth.
⦿ Serve immediately in a serving glass then garnish with pistachio and sliced strawberries.
