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Karanji

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Karanji looks deceptively like an Emapanada but is really a crispy, golden sweet dumpling made especially during the festive season in parts of India. The outer light and blistery crust is very similar to samosa pastry and is often stuffed with freshly toasted nuts, raisins and fresh grated coconut. My easy-peasy recipe below,

Image by Luisa Brimble
Ingredients for Karanji


For the pastry:

  • 250g flour

  • 40g ghee or oil

  • 85g water

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp caraway seeds, optional

- Mix all ingredients and bring together into a ball. Knead dough until smooth and pliable. Cover with a damp towel and set aside for 2 hours.


Filling:

  • 1/3 each almonds, pistachios, cashews

  • 2-3 tbsps raisins

  • 250g fresh grated coconut

  • 3/4 cup finely chopped Gula Melaka or jaggery

  • 6-8 green cardamoms, seeds pounded

  • Pinch of sea-salt

Recipes

  1. Grind the nuts separately in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Toast all nuts and raisins together for a few minutes in a large pan until lightly brown - set aside.

  2. Toast grated coconut in the same pan until light brown.

  3. Bring nuts back into the pan along with Gula Melaka and ground cardamom seeds. Mix until sugar is melted and the mixture comes together.

  4. Split the pastry into 15-20g balls. Roll each ball very thinly into circles.

  5. Stuff pastry with 2 tbsps filling. Fold over, seal and pleat like an empanada - set aside.

  6. Deep-fry in hot oil for about 8 minutes until golden-brown all over. Serve warm Gujiyas for tea or cool completely on a wire rack before saving them in an airtight container for later.

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