Gulgule, or gulgula (singular)! Such funny words. What are they, you might ask? Gulgule are India’s version of donut holes (or if you’re Canadian like me, you’re more familiar with the term ‘Timbits’). They are beautifully crispy on the outside and squidgy in the middle.
These cute little balls of deep golden sweetness are a fennel seed-speckled version of what we are familiar with here in North America. Before you get the idea that these are incredibly difficult to make, I’m here to tell you they’re not! They are honestly super easy, and you will likely have most of the ingredients on hand already. Traditionally, a different sugar is used, called ‘jaggery’, which is an unrefined alternative to sugar with molasses and minerals; it is found easily in Indian grocery stores, and even in larger supermarkets with international foods. But, for the sake of making this a recipe most people can try, I’ve enlisted the help of my Mom to bring you a super simple gulgule recipe that still tastes like the real thing! Plus, of all the Indian sweets, this is (in my knowledge) one of the less intensely sweet ones…making it very easy to gobble up a bunch!
But first, a little backstory on gulgule. Traditionally they are made on special occasions, my Mom tells me; often to celebrate the beginning of a wedding with good luck, for example. They are usually made in the Northern part of India such as where I was born, in the state of Punjab. Gulgule are also eaten on celebrations such as Diwali, or even as a little treat for rainy days — which is where my familiarization with them comes from. I have the fondest memories growing up in rainy British Columbia — a perfect setting for this golden treat, might I add — as my mom would start heating a big pot of oil on drizzly weekends. I always knew what this meant: typically a first round of ‘pakoras’ (vegetables dipped in batter, then fried), followed by sweet gulgule for dessert. This was, and is, still such a dear favourite afternoon snack (*uhhum… meal*) for my whole family, and I’d love to share this gulgule recipe with you today because it is coincidentally Diwali! Diwali is the festival of lights, and is filled with amazing food and sweets, of course — no Indian celebration is complete without copious amounts of sweets!
My Mom has made it quite simple with easy substitutions for a couple of the ingredients. Also, they’re typically dropped in the oil by hand, but for an easier and less messy method they turn out perfect even when dropped in with a small ice cream scoop; and they turn out the same size this way, too! I added my own (optional) spin to this post with a quick recipe for fennel seed flavoured powdered sugar at the end (not as weird as it sounds, I promise). It’s kind of like having beignets! This is never how you’d normally eat them, but the inner child in me wanted to douse them in more sugar so here we are, LOL. My Mom and I really hope you try this recipe because it’s honestly such a simple way to enjoy what are essentially donuts at home (barely FIVE ingredients), and did I mention?…They’re vegan! Happy eating, and Happy Diwali if you’re celebrating!
MOM’S GULGULE — INDIAN DONUT HOLES
Makes roughly 25 gulgule; you can easily multiply the recipe if needed
Gulgule
Ingredients:
- 1 cup atta (Indian whole wheat flour, available at Indian grocery stores), or you can substitute with 1 cup of whole wheat all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 TSP whole fennel seeds
- ¼ TSP baking soda
- ¾ cup of water, and more as needed
- Oil, for frying
Directions:
- Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Then, whisk in the water until well mixed (a few lumps are OK), adding more water or flour if needed. You are looking for the consistency of a thick drop batter, or that of a brownie batter (refer to photo above). Let rest for 30 minutes, covered, at room temperature.
- For frying, use a medium-sized pot. You don’t need anything too big or very deep as the gulgule are quite small. Add enough oil so that it fills about 1/3rd (or so) of the pot, and heat through on medium-high heat. Test the temperature of the oil once the batter is finished resting – you will know it’s ready when a drop of the batter floats to the surface. Once oil is ready, reduce the heat slightly before adding the gulgule in order to maintain the temperature without over-heating the oil.
- Using a 1 TBSP ice cream scoop, measure out the gulgule, dropping each one into the oil. You can add about 8-10 at a time to the pot, just enough so that they don’t touch each other or prevent even cooking.
- Using a slotted spoon, turn them occasionally so they turn a deep golden, or medium-brown, colour on all sides. They will float to the top when ready. Turn them around quickly a few more times at the end to ensure they crisp up nicely. Test one to see it is fully cooked from the inside, and isn’t burnt on the outside.
- Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain the perfect frying temperature.
- Enjoy fresh and warm, especially on a rainy day with a hot cup of chai!
Fennel Seed Powdered Sugar (Optional)
This may make more than is needed for the recipe above, depending on how much you use. Use the leftovers over pancakes for something a little different!
Ingredients:
- Roughly a 1/4 – 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp of fennel seeds, or according to taste
Directions:
- Grind the fennel seeds using a mortar and pestle. No need to create a perfect powder.
- Add the fennel seeds and powdered sugar to a small food processor and mix until well combined. You may need to give it some help by stirring with a spoon in between pulsing. Then, test to see if the flavour of the fennel seeds has infused into the sugar.
- Dust over the gulgule, beignet-style!