Everyone must be busy with Ganesh chathurthi festival preparations. I am happy that i could post many Ganesh Chaturthi special recipes before the festival . I am sure it must have been helpful to many of my readers and friends. To add to the series , i share today one of the hot favorite Ganesh Chaturthi dish – ” Karjikayi / Karigadabu / Karanji ” recipe . Using the same dough and filling i did some ” deep fried modaks ” .
Karjikai / Kajjikayalu / sweet somas / karanji is a sweet that’s usually prepared during Vinayaka chaturthi and Diwali . They are crisp and flaky from outside with a sweet filling inside . For people who don’t have sweet tooth , Karjikai should be perfect as they are mildly sweet when compared to many other. I have hardly met people who doesn’t like this delicious sweet. I bet you can’t stop by eating one.
This festival do make them and enjoy it with your near and dear ones.Follow the steps carefully , i assure you would not err making them..
Check Out the Video recipe here :
KARJIKAI
Ingredients
- 1 cup Maida/ All purpose flour
- 1/4 cup fine sooji/ fine Semolina/ chiroti rava
- 1 tsp Rice flour, heaped
- 1 tbsp Ghee or hot oil
- 1/4 cup Milk
- A pinch Salt
For the filling (Coconut filling)
- 1/2 cup Dry coconut / kopra , grated
- 1/3 Cup Chutney dal/ Roasted gram dal / (hurikadle / pottukadalai)
- 1/2 cup Sugar, ( based on your sweet level)
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds / khus khus
- 3 nos cardamom elaichi
- optional Dry fruits, Finely chopped
Instructions
Make the dough :
- In a wide bowl take maida , fine rava, rice flour and salt.
- Heat ghee or oil and add to the flour. The oil should be so hot that when you pour it on dry flour ,bubbles should form. Mix well.
- Next add milk and enough water to make a stiff dough.The dough has to be like poori dough i.e stiffer than chapathi dough.
- Cover it with a wet cloth and keep it aside for 20-30 mins.
Make the filling :
- Mean while, prepare the filling. In a mixer.. powder together , fried gram ,sugar and elaichi .It need not be super fine powder. Add this powder to the grated dry coconut.
- dry roast poppy seeds such that they are aromatic . Add this to the filling mix. If you want add finely chopped nuts too.
- Mix well all the ingredients.Filling for karjikayi is ready . Keep it aside .
- Knead the dough well again to make the dough soft and pliable.Divide the balls to small lemon sized balls.
- Using a rolling pin , roll the balls to thin discs. Dust maida if required but roll it into as thin as possible. Else it won't turn crispy.
- Now place the discs inside a karanji mould. Fill about 1 tsp filling at the centre.
- Slightly apply water in the edges .Close the mould and seal and press well .( water acts as glue and prevents them from opening when dropped in oil)
- Remove the extra portion hanging out from the mould and keep them aside.
- If you don't have the mould , after you roll out , fill the stuffing, apply water to one edge and join the edges to get a semicircle shape.Seal the edges. Using a fork give slight impressions .
- With the same dough you can shape them as modaks too.
- Repeat the same process for the remaining dough . Keep them covered with a damp cloth till you deep fry . This will prevent drying out.
- Time to deep fry them :
- Heat oil in a deep pan / kadai.
- Drop 2-3 karjikai at one time slowly in to the oil .Let the flame be low- medium. Splash the hot oil from the sides using the slotted spoon on top of the karjikai.This helps in puffing up karjikai nicely.
- Fry them on low- medium flame only till they are golden brown on both the sides. Once done, drain nicely and transfer to a kitchen napkin . Cool them completely .
- Store the Karjikayi / Karanji / Sweet Somas in air tight containers once cooled. Remains fresh for upto 15days.
Notes
- The dough for the outer layer should be mixed stiff which makes the karanji crisp.Else it will turn soft n soggy .
- Keeping the dough covered with damp cloth is very important.
- Dont keep the flame on high while deep frying. This way they will cook soon but not become crisp.
- You can alter the filling as you wish .Different parts of India has different stuffing .
21 Comments
Linsy Patel
August 28, 2014 at 1:25 pmwe make it without chana dal, looks perfect.
Meena Kumar
August 28, 2014 at 1:43 pmOhhh the karanji has turned out so well..awesome presentation Smitha. I must bring the mold next time I go home,
beena stephen
August 28, 2014 at 2:01 pmdelicious sweet
Poornima hegde
August 28, 2014 at 4:48 pmI usually make the filling with jaggery, coconut and dry fruits. Have to try with sugar and gram sometime. looks so yummy!
Sony P
August 28, 2014 at 6:11 pmKaranji looks so perfect and delicious…… !!
Priya Suresh
August 28, 2014 at 9:03 pmI miss this kajjikayalu now, so addictive they are.
mrkk08
August 28, 2014 at 10:03 pmMy fav snack:-) love your mould.. Super tempting
Anonymous
August 28, 2014 at 10:17 pmHi.. what pan did u use for deep frying?
Ree Kasirajh
August 29, 2014 at 7:24 amLooks so delicious and perfect…awesome presentation sis
Eliza Lincy
August 29, 2014 at 9:03 pmCrunchy festive snack perfectly made Smitha.
techie ZM
September 4, 2014 at 11:35 amLooks nicely made!!! lovely..
Shobana Vijay
October 14, 2014 at 12:44 pmMy MIL does the same way
Jancy Vincent
October 19, 2014 at 7:32 pmPlus help. What to do if they turn rubbery; is there a way to save them by frying them again
Smitha Kalluraya
October 20, 2014 at 9:31 amoh.. i think after become rubbery we cant correct..
Ramya Prabhakar
September 16, 2015 at 10:23 amHow many karanjis does this measurement make ?
aa
September 18, 2015 at 1:40 amI made this today by following your instructions step by step. It came out really crispy and delicious, thank you so much!
Smitha Kalluraya
September 18, 2015 at 5:17 amthx .. glad to know that
Smitha Kalluraya
September 18, 2015 at 5:17 amaround 10–12
Anonymous
October 20, 2015 at 2:31 pmsuper:-)
Vijayalakshmi Jatavallabha
August 26, 2016 at 2:04 amNice tips. I was preparing. It used to become soft & soggy always. This time I will try.
Bhavya Eshwara
September 7, 2016 at 6:26 pmNice tips.thank u…