Karanjis (or Gujiya) for Holi!
An overhead photograph of a plate of karanjis—savory pastry dough filled with a sweet filling and shaped in a half-moon, then fried. Photo and recipe by Barkha Cardoz.
From Barkha:
Holi signifies the start of spring & renewal of life all around.
Growing up in India, Holi is a time of celebration with family & friends. The night before Holi, we light a fire to symbolize cleansing ourselves of old, tired energy so that we can welcome new life into our space. Then we smear one another with bright colors & spend the day drinking infused thandai (a cold, sweet drink) and eating homemade sweets.
Karanjis (or gujiyas) are one my favorite Holi treats.
A savory pastry dough filled with fragrant sweet coconut and nuts and fried, they’re savory, flaky, crunchy, moist, and sweet—everything you want in a handy dessert! The filling differs depending on where you are in India, but they’re variations of a theme. I learned how to make them from my childhood nanny, who would treat us to them on holidays. I hope they bring you such delight.
May this Holi bring joy and a renewal of spirit with an abundance of light and color in all our lives.
Yield: 10-12 karanjis
Active Time: About 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 30 minutes for resting dough
Storage: These can be stored for up to a week in an air-tight container.
A closeup photograph of a karanji cut open so that you can see the moist, sweet filling. With a plate of pastries behind. Photo by Barkha Cardoz.
INGREDIENTS:
Dough
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rava or semolina flour
4 Tbsp melted ghee
pinch of salt
1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
Filling
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
2 Tbsp charoli seeds (optional)
2 cups of frozen shredded coconut, defrosted
1 cup of mawa (unsweetened milk solids)
1/4 cup raisins
6-8 strands of saffron
pinch of rose petal powder (optional)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp FC Garam Masala
3/4-1 cup granulated sugar
4-6 cups of oil for frying
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, semolina, and salt. Add the melted ghee, and use your fingers to pinch into the flour until it comes together like sand or crumbs. Add the water a little bit at a time, and use your fingers to pull together into a stiff dough. Be careful not to over-handle! Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and rest for about 30 minutes.
To make the filling, heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan on low heat. Add the chopped almonds toast until fragrant. Remove to a large bowl.
Add the charoli seeds to the sauce ban and toast until slightly colored and fragrant. Remove to the large bowl.
Add the coconut to the sauce pan and toast for 7-8 minutes, until it gets a little bit of color and the moisture dries out a bit. Add the mawa and cook for 3-4 minutes until it melts a bit. Add the sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add back in the toasted nuts, saffron, cardamom, Garam Masala, and rose petal powder. Stir together and cook until just warm. Empty back into the large bowl to stop it from cooking any further. (It should be sticky and soft!)
When ready to assemble, add your cooking oil to a deep heavy-bottomed pan. Place on medium heat and heat to 200°F. Place a cooling rack next to your stove and line with paper towels.
Take a ball of dough the size of a golf ball and roll it out to about a 3-inch circle. Put about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the rolled dough. Apply a light layer of water around the edges of the dough, fold the dough in half over the filling, and press down the edges to form a half-moon shape. Using a fork, press the edges of the half circle to seal. Repeat 5 or 6 times.
Add the karanjis to the oil and fry, turning after 3-4 minutes, until they’re nice and brown on both sides. Remove them to the drying rack and allow them to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough, switching out to fresh paper towels as needed.
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