Karanji recipe , how to make Karanji- Step by step

2013-11-01
  • Prep Time : 20m
  • Cook Time : 25m
  • Ready In : 60m

Diwali, the festival of lights, the victory of good over evil.

The millions of little diyas with their shining light- banish all fears , dispel sorrows and bring joy and hope into our life.

And with Diwali, come the sweets, the mithai- the karanji and the chakli. The innumerable snacks that make this festival even more memorable.

When we were little, my Mum would start making all kinds of delicacies about a fortnight before Diwali. It was fun to just hang around, watch her and snatch small bits of food as she cooked. The Faral (snacks) that were made was then exchanged with the neighbours. The most talked about thing for a few weeks would be ‘whose chaklis were the crunchiest and whose laadoos were the most melt-in-the-mouth.

I miss those days. It’s a pity the younger generation , specially the one growing out of India doesn’t get to experience all these traditions.

In London here, we celebrate Diwali and burst crackers. There are firework displays in large grounds where it is safe to do so. And of course, we make faral too, not in abundance like my childhood days.

Karanji is my son’s favourite and his friends like eating it too, so it is often made in my house.

 

Ingredients

For the stuffing:

Dessicated coconut – dried- 1 cups

Caster sugar( powdered sugar)- 1 1/2 cup

Almond slices- 2 tsp

Charoli- 2 tsp

Raisins- 2 tsp

Elaichi powder- 1/2 tsp

Khuskhus ( poppy seeds)- 3 tbsp

Atta( whole wheat flour)- 1/2 cup

1 tbsp ghee

For the Karanji cover

Fine Suji- 1 1/4 cup

Flour ( maida)- 1 tbsp

Melted hot ghee (  Mohan)- 5 tbsp

salt- 1/4 tsp

Milk- 5 tbsp- for sticking

Oil- for frying- 1 litre

Method for Stuffing

Dry roast the poppy seeds

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and coconut one after another.

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Crumble the roasted coconut with your fingers . Powder the poppy seeds in the grinder.

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee and roast the atta.

Mix  all the ingredients for the stuffing and keep aside.

Method for the Karanji cover

Mix the suji, maida and ghee (mohan).

Knead to a tight dough and leave aside. After 3 hours, run them in a food processor, or break into bits and knead again.

Make into small puri shaped circles and leave under a damp napkin. else they will dry.

Heat oil in a large kadhai.

Meanwhile, fill the karanjis likeso,

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with about 1 tbsp of the stuffing each.

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Now, apply milk on the edges of the roti, and close together in a half-moon shape.

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Just pressing down the edges does not help hold them together while frying, so a contraption like a pizza cutter with a serrated circle at the end is used to cut off the edge.

In the absence of this you could just use a fork here like I have.

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Make a few more, and then start frying in the hot oil.

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After a few minutes, when the edges start browning, flip over.

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Drain out on absorbent paper.

Let cool and store.

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