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KARJIKAI

Smitha Kalluraya
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine south indian
Servings 10 piece

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

  1. The dough for the outer layer should be mixed stiff which makes the karanji crisp.Else it will turn soft n soggy .
  2. Keeping the dough covered with damp cloth is very important.
  3. Dont keep the flame on high while deep frying. This way they will cook soon but not become crisp.
  4. You can alter the filling as you wish .Different parts of India has different stuffing .