Karanji

Karanji is one of the few traditional dishes that I seem to get right. I first made it five years back, during our first Gokulashtami in Bombay. That was done the traditional way, with maida and lots of ghee. This time, I experimented to make it slightly healthier, and it tasted as good.

For the casing
1 cup wholewheat flour/ atta
1/3 cup milkpowder
pinch of salt
oil for frying

For the filing
1/2 cup grated cocunut
1/2 cup jaggery
elaichi/ cardamom powder


Mix the atta and milk powder together, and using water sparingly, knead it into a dough (same consistency as the atta for making rotis/ puris) atta). Keep aside for a few minutes.
Take a little water in a heavy bottomed pan, add jaggery, and keep stirring till it dissolves/ melts completely. Add the grated coconut and cook on low fire till all the water disappears. Take off heat. Add cardamon powder and stir.
Make small balls with the dough, and roll them into puris.
Place some of the filling in the centre, fold the puri, and after drawing a thin line with oil at the edge, press closed (you can use a cutter to make a nice looking edge also).
Deep fry the karanjis. Place on a kitchen tissue to absorb the excess oil. Can be stored for upto a week (if the last as long- we polished it off within the hour).