Karanji Recipe

Karanji is a Maharashtrian sweet savory snack often made for festive occasions like Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi. Karanji is also one of the sweet snack that is a part of Diwali faral.

Karanji and gujiya are two Indian sweets which have a similar look and appearance. Basically both Karanji and gujiya are fried pastries with a sweet stuffing. The Goan version of Karanji is called as nevris.

Ingredients

For Karanji Stuffing

• ▢½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
• ▢1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• ▢8 to 9 almonds
• ▢9 to 10 cashews
• ▢9 to 10 golden raisins
• ▢4 green cardamoms powdered or ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ▢3 tablespoon powdered sugar or as required
• ▢a pinch of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg
• ▢½ tablespoon ghee

For Outer Cover Of Karanji

• ▢2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢2 tablespoon ghee
• ▢¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢½ cup + 1 tablespoon milk or as required

Instructions

Making Karanji Stuffing

• Heat ghee in a small frying pan.
• Add the desiccated coconut and saute stirring often till the coconut turns golden.
• Remove the coconut and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add the sesame seeds and roast till they pop and change color. Keep aside.
• In a dry grinder or coffee grinder, grind the almonds, cashews, raisins to a semi fine powder.
• You can also chop these dry fruits. If you want, you can also roast the dry fruits and then chop or powder them.
• Add this dry fruits powder to the sesame seeds and coconut mixture.
• Add powdered sugar, nutmeg powder and cardamom powder.
• Mix everything well and keep the stuffing aside.

Making Outer Cover Of Karanji

• Heat the ghee first. Just lightly heat it.
• In a bowl or pan, take the flour. Add the hot melted ghee and salt. Just lightly mix everything.
• Add milk in parts and knead the dough till smooth.
• Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and keep aside for 15 to 20 mins.

Rolling And Stuffing Karanji

• Divide the dough into two parts. Roll each part into a log. Cut the log in equal slices.
• Take each slice and roll it between your palms.
• With a rolling pin on a dusted board, roll the dough round in 4 to 5 inches diameter circle.
• Place a tbsp or 2 to 3 tsp of the stuffing in the center or on one side of the circle, keeping the edges empty. 
• Make sure you don’t over stuff as then it becomes difficult to shape the karanjis. They may also break while frying.
• With your fingertips, apply water all over the circumference edge.
• Gently bring together both the edges and join. Gently press the edges.
• Now with your fingertips, start pinching the pressed edges.
• Make all karanjis this way and then fry them. 
• Keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel, so that the dough does not dry out.

Frying Karanji

• Heat oil for deep frying in a pan or kadai. Gently place the prepared Karanji in hot oil. 
• Just add a few Karanji while frying and don’t crowd them.
• Fry till crisp and golden. remove and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Once cooled, store them in air-tight container. Serve Karanji warm or at room temperature.