Karanji or Nevris is a 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
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 and deep fry them.
- 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.
