Karanji

A very popular Indian dessert/ sweet snack prepared all over India during Diwali/ Deepavali festival. This is also famous in the name of Fried dumplings among Non-Maharashtrian. The shape and texture of this sweet is so attractive like a beautiful shell. Inside fillings is according to our choice with dry coconut, powder sugar and cardamom or sugar melted in coconut adding a little sooji rava/ semolina and dry fruits. Anyway you make this sweet turns out yummy. I have tried the original recipe for Karanji seeing my mom preparing during Diwali/ Deepavali during my childhood.

 

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• Maida/ All-Purpose flour – 1cup
• Salt as per taste.
• Coconut Copra/ dry coconut – ½ cup (crushed)
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Cardamom/ Elaichi/ Elakka – 4nos (skin removed)
• Oil for deep frying.

[/ingredients]

 

[directions title=”Method”]

• Sieve Maida in a deep bottom vessel. Add a pinch of salt. Nicely mix.
• Then add little water to make smooth dough as we normally make for chapathis.

• Close it with a lid and keep aside for 5mins.
• In the meanwhile, add sugar and cardamom in a mixer jar and ground to make powder.
• Take another vessel. Add the powdered sugar-cardamom and crushed coconut copra. -Nicely mix together with a spoon. Crushed copra mixture is ready for filling.

• Make small balls of the kneaded dough. Take a small ball and roll it to a thin size poori.
• Place the mixture in the center of the poori/ puri. Now fold the round circle in a half moon shape.
• Apply a little water on the edges to close the sides tightly.
• If you have a mould for karanji then it will be easier for making karanjis with nice design on the edges.

• Place it in a plate. You can make the rest karanjis in the same manner.
• Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. When the oil is hot, drop each karanji into oil and deep fry till both the sides are slightly brown in color with crispy texture.
• Remove it to a plate wrapped with paper towel.

[/directions]

 

Karanji is ready to serve during Deepavali/ Diwali or any festivals which you like most.

Note:

1. You can add dry fruits for enriching the flavor in the coconut mixture.

2. You can use water or milk to close the sides of the karanji