KARANJI |GUJIYA RECIPE |GANESH CHATURTHI | DIWALI SPECIAL

As Ganesh Chaturthi has commenced, it is time to prepare sweets and get ready for the festive mood. Karanji is one of the special recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi. It is very easy to cook and great to munch.

This is a popular sweet made during diwali festival too.

Karanji is what this preparation is called in maharashtra and north karnataka. It has a very easy-to-make filling, and is extremly common in karnataka and maharashtra homes during festivals. Three variety of fillings are listed here.

Lets start !!!!

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

•1 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida

•1/4 cup Sooji / Rawa

•2 tsp Oil

•1/2 cup warm Milk

•pinch of Salt

Any one of the following fillings may be used:

KHOBRA FILLING

•1 tsp Poppy Seeds / KhasKhas

•1 tsp Sooji / Rawa

•1 cup Dry Grated Coconut

•1 cup Powdered Sugar

•1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

•Assorted Nuts

COCONUT FILLING

2 cups freshly grated coconut

2 cups grated jaggery

2 tsp roasted poppy seeds (khuskhus)(optional)

½ tsp cardamom powder (elaichi)

¼ cup raisins, cashewnuts, pistachios

2 tbsp ghee

METHOD

For Khobra Filling:

. Dry roast sooji and poppy seeds separately till the time they get light brown color.

. Add coconut to dry roasted sooji and poppy seeds, add sugar, cardamom powder, dry fruits and mix well.

For Coconut Filling:

.Heat ghee and add coconut and jaggery.

.Cook on medium heat with stirring, until the jaggery has melted and mixed well with the coconut.

.Take care that the flame is not so high that the mixture gets burnt.

.Add poppy seeds, cardamom powder and raisins. Mix well and take off heat.

For the cover:

. Heat up 2 tsp oil. Mix all purpose flour, sooji, salt in to a bowl and pour hot oil over it. Mix well till the time mixture becomes crumbly.

. Pour warm milk slowly to make medium consistency dough, not too hard and too soft.

. Cover and keep the dough for 30 mts.

KARANJI METHOD:

1. Take a small ball of dough and roll it into a circle of about 3" diameter.
2. Place a spoon of the filling in the center,
3. Apply milk around its edges where you have placed filling and fold the circle in a half-moon shape.
4.  Apply a little milk on the edges and seal.  Use fork and make some design around karanji.
5. Or else u can cut the extra flour on the edge of karanji with karanji cutter to get a wavy border
6. Cover with a damp cloth.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Deep fry on medium heat  in batches of 1-2 at a time until crisp and brown, and serve.
9. Take out and place in tissue paper to avoid haivng extra oil. Let it cool. Karanjis are now ready to serve...