How to make the best Karanji | Gujiya

Last Updated on May 11, 2024 by Babita

Karanji is a deep fried sweet snack, which is made during Diwali and Christmas (known as Neureos/Nevri) in Mumbai, India. Even though it looks time consuming, it is pretty easy to make. Karanji is known Gujiya (Hindi) in the Northern parts of India. My recipe here is for the Maharashtrian style of Karanji and uses a wide range of ingredients for the filling.

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The filling for Karanji/Gujiya

The filling for karanji is usually sweet and very diverse depending on which region you are in. It mostly includes roasted semolina, coconuts, dry milk powder, dry fruits, raisins, sugar etc.

The Outer Covering/Shell of Karanji

The outer covering of Karanji is made from all-purpose flour and is very distinctive in appearance. It resembles an empanada. There is a special mould available to shape them which makes the job a lot easier. Some people make it soft and flaky. My mom used to make it crispy which helped with storage and not break the karanji apart. Since Christmas is only a couple of days away, here is my recipe for Karanji. Enjoy !!!

How to make Crispy and Soft Karanji | Gujiya

Ingredients for the Karanji filling:

1 cup shredded dry coconut
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 1/2 cups sugar (powdered)
1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Ingredients for the outer shell for Karanji:

3 cups all-purpose flour
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup melted shortening or clarified butter
Water for making the dough

Method

• Roast dry coconut, semolina (rava), sesame seeds (til) and poppy seeds (khuskhus) separately in a frying pan until each of them are lightly brown.
• Combine all of the above ingredients in the mixing bowl. Allow it to cool. Then add with powdered sugar, raisins and cardamom powder. Mix it well and set aside.
• In another mixing bowl combine all-purpose flour, salt and shortening/ghee. Mix them well. Add little water at a time and knead a dough. Cover it with a damp paper towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide the the dough into 1 1/2″ balls.
• Take one ball, flatten it and dip it in some all-purpose flour. Then roll the dough away from you into a 6″ circle/sheets. Repeat this step and make about 6 circles/sheets at a time.
• Next take one sheet. Place it in the center of the mold as shown in the picture (#4).
• Add a tablespoon of filling in the bottom part of the sheet. Apply some water with your finger along the edge of the bottom mold.
• Bring the upper part of the sheet and cover it over the bottom part and press along the edge firmly. Close the mould and press again firmly. Open the mold. Tear out the excess sheet (#7). Carefully remove the karanji from the mould and set it aside on a plate or cookie tray. Repeat this process until you are done with all of the balls.
• Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. Once it is nice and hot, add 3 to 4 karanjis and fry until they are golden brown. Remove from oil and place it on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
• Store it in an air tight container or large zip lock bags.

Useful suggestions:

• Powdered sugar is usually regular sugar which had been blended/ground in a mixer/blender until it is fine. Do not use confectioner’s sugar. This will change the taste and texture of the filling.
• The filling can be made a week ahead of time and can be stored in an air-tight container up to a month.

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