Diwali 2021: Chef Amogh Malvankar shares his recipe to make perfect Karanjis

We bring you the recipe of one of the traditional faral items, Karanji
Karanjis
Karanjis

In Maharashtrian households, Diwali is incomplete without faral, an assortment of snacks, both savoury and sweet that are served as breakfast during the festive week. Instead of sweets, many Maharashtrians prefer exchanging gifting faral to friends, family and neighbours. This Diwali, instead of buying something off the shelf, try this easy recipe to make karanji, one of the traditional faral items.

For those wondering what exactly is Karanji? “These are tiny fried pastries stuffed with fresh grated coconut infused with cardamom, jaggery and raisins. They are perfect to eat with a hot cup of tea anytime of the day. In fact, most communities have a variant of this recipe - while it is called Gujjiya in north and west India, it is called Karchikkai in Karnataka,” shares Amogh Malvankar, Chef de cuisine, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.
 
Recipe: Karanji
By Chef Amogh Malvankar, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Ingredients:
For filling: 2 cups jaggery (fine grated), 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup dry coconut (flakes or grated), 1/2 cup superfine rava/semolina, 1/2 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 cup poppy seeds, 3 tbsp almond oil, 1 tsp cardamom powder, pinch of nutmeg

For dough: 1/2 cup rava/semolina, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 2-3 tbsp oil, oil for deep frying and milk+water mixed together - as needed
 
Method:
• Dry roast coconut, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds separately until they turn golden brown. Do not mix these together once they are roasted.
• Roast semolina with 1 tbsp ghee/oil until it turns golden brown. Set aside separately.
• Roast whole wheat flour with remaining ghee/oil. Roast it until it turns golden brown.
• Coarsely grind poppy seeds, sesame seeds and coconut (in that order).
• Fit the 'S' shaped blade to the food processor bowl. Put everything, flour, nut powders, jaggery, cardamom-nutmeg, in the food processor. Process it for 8-10 minutes.
• Sieve through a larger sieve to remove bigger chunks, if any. Your filling is ready.
• For dough, heat oil in a small kadhai. Mix all purpose flour, rava, sugar, salt together in a big bowl. Make a well in the mixture. Sprinkle a pinch of flour in heating oil, flour should sizzle immediately. Pour oil in the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly with a spoon. Make stiff dough using a little bit of water at a time. Cover with a damp towel and set aside for at least 2 hours.
• After two hours pound the dough nicely for 15-20 minutes with a stone mortar pestle.
• Divide the dough in 4 equal sized balls. Roll thin chapati and spread 1 tbsp oil evenly.
• Now make a tight roll, and cut into 1" pieces. Continue with all the remaining dough and you should have about 40 pieces. Cover these pieces with damp cloth all the time. This will keep the dough soft.
• Take one small piece and roll it into about 3-4" diameter puri. Hold the puri in hand, pinch on the side, and add 1-2 tbsp filling.
• Carefully close the karanji. Now press it on the cutting board, and carefully remove the extra dough from the side using a karanji cutter.
• Continue with remaining balls. Cover prepared karanjis with cloth.
• Once all the karanjis are ready, deep fry in medium hot oil.
Karanjis are now ready, have it once they cool down. 

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