Karanji, also known as Gujiya in North India, is a delicious, flaky, deep-fried pastry filled with a sweet coconut and nut mixture. Perfect for festive occasions! 🥟🎉
📝 Ingredients
For the Outer Shell (Dough)
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour(Maida) | 2 cups | 🍚 |
| All-Purpose Flour(Maida) | 2 cups | 🍚 |
| Fine Semolina(Rava/Sooji) | 2 tablespoons | For extra crispiness. |
| Ghee(Clarified Butter) | 3 tablespoons | Melted & hot, for flakiness. 🔥 |
| Salt | A pinch | |
| Wateror Milk | As needed | Lukewarm, for kneading a stiff dough. 💧 |
For the Sweet Stuffing (Saran)
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Desiccated Coconut | 1 cup | Lightly toasted/roasted. 🥥 |
| Powdered Sugar | 3/4 cup (adjust to taste) | Use fine sugar. |
| Fine Semolina(Rava/Sooji) | 2 tablespoons | Lightly roasted. |
| Cardamom Powder(Elaichi) | 1/2 teaspoon | Aromatic spice. |
| Poppy Seeds(Khus Khus) | 1 tablespoon | Optional, lightly roasted. |
| Mixed Nuts | 2 tablespoons | Chopped (Cashews, Almonds). 🥜 |
| Raisins | 1 tablespoon | Optional. 🍇 |
| Ghee | 1 teaspoon | For roasting the stuffing ingredients. |
Other Ingredients
· Milk or Water: For sealing the edges. 🥛
· Oil or Ghee: For deep frying. 🍳
🧑🍳 Cooking Process
Part 1: Prepare the Sweet Stuffing (Saran)
1. Roast: Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan. Lightly roast the semolina (rava/sooji) until it turns slightly pink. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Toast: In the same pan, lightly toast the desiccated coconut until it's just aromatic and a pale golden color. Add to the semolina.
3. Mix-ins: Lightly roast the poppy seeds and chopped nuts separately for a minute. Add them to the bowl with the coconut and semolina.
4. Cool & Flavor: Let the roasted mixture cool completely. Once cool, mix in the powdered sugar, cardamom powder, and raisins. Set aside.
Part 2: Prepare the Dough (Outer Shell)
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, semolina, and salt..
- Add Fat (Moyan): Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee until hot (but not smoking). Pour the hot ghee into the flour mixture. Rub the ghee into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and you can form a loose ball when squeezed. This step makes the shell flaky! ✨
- Knead: Gradually add lukewarm water or milk and knead to form a firm, tight dough. It should not be soft like chapati dough.
- Rest: Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Part 3: Shape and Fry the Karanji
- Roll: Divide the rested dough into small balls (about the size of a lemon). Roll each ball into a thin circle (like a small poori).
- Stuff: Place a spoonful of the sweet stuffing mixture on one half of the rolled circle. Do not overfill!
- Seal:Brush the edges of the circle with a little milk or water. Fold the other half over to form a semi-circle. Gently press the edges to seal them completely. 🌙
- Crimp:Use a fork or a special Karanji cutter/mould to crimp the edges tightly and trim off any excess dough. A tight seal is crucial to prevent the filling from escaping while frying.
- Fry:Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan over medium-low heat. The oil should not be too hot. Gently slide 3-4 Karanjis into the oil.
- Cook:Fry the Karanjis slowly, turning them often, until they are golden brown and crisp on all sides. Low and slow frying ensures a crispy shell.
- Drain & Serve:7.Remove the Karanjis with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil on absorbent kitchen paper.
Enjoy the crispy, sweet Karanjis! Store them in an airtight container once completely cooled. 😋