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Karanji/Kajjikayalu/Karchikai/Sweet Somas

Today is the 4th week of blogging marathon#23 and I will be blogging under the traditional dishes.
Karanji is a sweet which is popular in Maharastra whereas it is named as sweet somas or karchikai in TamilNadu and Kajjikayalu in Andhra.The shape of making the sweet is same and varoius kinds of stuffing is used in each part of the state.
Coming to today's recipe,it  is a simple and easy to make stuffing with the basic ingredients and the stuffing can be made in advance.
This sweet is one of my child hood favorite and my paternal grandmother is an expert in making this sweet.Whenever she used to visit us she brought this sweet and used a special gadget called somas karandi(spoon) to trim the edges.As I don't have that one, used the pizza cutter to trim the edge and pressed with the fork to get the decorative edge.Here is the recipe................
Ingredients
For the outer covering
IngredientQuantity
All purpose flour/Maida1cup
Semolina/rava11/2tbs
Ghee2tbs
Salt 1/8tsp
Oil for frying
For the Stuffing
IngredientQuantity
Roasted gram dhal/pottukadalai3/4cup
Coconut(grated)1/2cup
Sugar1cup
Cardamom/ellakai 3nos.
Roasted semolina 1tbs(optional)
Finely powdered cashews1tbs(optional)


Method

             Mix the semolina,maida and ghee together,add water little by little and make a firm dough.Keep it aside for 2 hours.
Powder the roasted gram dhal and sugar+cardamom separately and put it in a bowl.Now heat a pan, dry roast the coconut till aromas comes and  golden.Add it to the gram dhal and sugar mixture,mix it well.The stuffing is ready.
Divide the dough into a gooseberry size balls and roll into a thin poori.Keep 2tsp of stuffing in it and apply water on the edges.Fold and seal the edges.
Now trim the edge with the pizza cutter or somas spoon and with the fork gently press and decorate the edge,keep it on plate covered with a cloth to prevent drying.Continue for rest of the dough.
Fry 3-4 pieces in the oil for one batch in a medium heat till it becomes crisp and golden color.Remove it and drain it on a paper towel.
E
After cooling store it in an air tight container.
Enjoy.....................................

  • Somas stay fresh and crisp for a week if it is stored in an air tight container.
  • Fry it in a medium flame to get a crispy and golden colored somas.
  • Adding the roasted rava and ground cashews is purely optional but gives a rich taste. 
  • While pressing with the fork make sure on to press on the top layer otherwise the stuffing will come out.
Check out my fellow bloggers participating in Blogging Marathon#23.

13 comments:

  1. Sweet Somas look so yummy and fulfilling. Wonderfully prepared. Loved the look of the dish.
    Deepa

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  2. I love this sweet Nalini, it's come out so well..

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  3. so authentic and sooooo perfectly done!!!! so delicious and am mouthwatering here!!!
    Sowmya
    Ongoing Event - Let's Party - Eggless Bakes and Treats
    Ongoing Event - SYF & HWS - Ginger

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  4. Love this dish and the name as well...
    http://recipe-excavator.blogspot.com

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  5. One of my mom's signature dish, its been ages i had this karanjis, love it very much.

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  6. detailed step by step pics look beautiful

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  7. Very beautifully captured karanji. They are looking so real from my computer screen that I am feeling like grabbing them. :)

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  8. Lovely clicks. Karanjis are too tempting.

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  9. This is my fav too Nalini! But haven't tried it, u have made it so perfectly even without the mould...neatly presented!!

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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