Karanji | Nevris | Gujiya | How to make Karanjis

Karanji  or Nevris are deep-fried flour shells stuffed with a mixture of roasted coconut, dry fruits, among other ingredients. Whether Diwali or Christmas, the festival is synonymous with tons of lip smacking sweets and snacks. One such sweet is Karanji / Nevris  which is an important part of Diwali faraal (snacks)/ Christmas Kuswar*.   Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

For the stuffing

1 cup Dry coconut (grated) (sookha nariyal)                        
2 tbsp White sesame seeds (til)
2 tbsp Poppy seeds (khuskhus)                                
3 tbsp Rava (semolina)                                 
4 tbsp Powdered sugar (pssi hui cheeni)
2 tbsp cashew nuts, broken into small pieces (kaju)         
3 tbsp Raisins (kishmish)                              
1 tsp Cardamom powder (elaichi powder)                            

For the outer covering

1 cup refined flour (Maida)         
3 tsp semolina (rava)
2 tbsp clarified butter (Ghee)                    
Salt  as per taste (namak)

Oil for frying the karanjis

Check these Diwali snacks recipes: Poha Chivda, Shankarpali, Nankhatai, Corn Chivda

Method:

For the stuffing:

• Dry roast grated dry coconut, rava,  sesame seeds, poppy seeds one by one. 
• In a mixing bowl, combine the roasted ingredients alongwith powdered sugar, cashews, raisins, cardamom powder and keep it aside.

For the outer covering

• Heat the ghee and keep aside. In a mixing bowl, add maida and rava.
• Pour hot ghee into it. Mix with a spoon.
• Once it cools down, add salt and mix well using your fingers. 
• Add water little at a time and knead to a smooth dough.
• Cover the dough with a moist muslin cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes. 
• Divide the dough into small round shaped balls.
• Roll out one dough ball into a circle of around 4 to 5  inches diameter.
• Place 2 to 3 tbsp of the stuffing in the centre of the circle and fold the circle in a semi circular shape.
• Gently press the edges.
• Pinch the pressed edges and make designs as desired.
• Keep the karanjis on a plate greased with oil so that they do not stick to the plate.
• Also, cover the plate with a moist muslin cloth to avoid the karanjis from drying. 
• Make all karanjis in this manner.
• Heat oil in a pan for frying the karanjis.
• Fry them on a low flame. 
• Take them off the flame when they are slightly golden in colour as they cook further even after taking out of the pan.
• Before adding the next batch of karanjis, you can turn off the flame and wait for few minutes so that the temperature of the oil drops.
• Turn on the flame after adding the karanjis. Fry them on low heat.
• Store in an airtight container and serve as required.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO :

*Kuswar : Kuswar is a term often used to mention a set of Christmas goodies which are part of the cuisine of the Goan Catholic community of Goa and the Mangalorean Catholic community of Karnataka.

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