Lorna’s Karanji Recipe
Lorna’s Karanji Recipe makes for a crisp and flaky stuffed half moon-shaped pastry that’s ideal for festivals like Diwali, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Indian
40 Mins
40 Mins
Medium
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the dough:- 175g plain flour
- A pinch of salt
- 80ml water
- 2 tbsp melted ghee or butter
- Extra flour for rolling
- 3 tbsp flour + 1 to 2 tablespoons water (“glue” to seal the Karanji pastry)
- Oil for frying
- 80g jaggery or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp ground cardamom powder
- 50g cashews, finely chopped
- 50g almonds, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan and add the coconut, jaggery, cardamom, almond and cashews. Fry for approximately 8 minutes.
- Next add the raisins and sesame seeds, mix and fry for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool whilst you make dough.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, ghee and salt and mix till it resembles bread crumb texture. Mix in the water a little at a time to form a smooth dough. Knead for a minute, leave aside to rest for 15 minutes.
- Now divide the dough into 2 parts, shape each dough into a log and cut into equal portions.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball, flatten between your palms, dust with some flour and, using a rolling pin, roll into a circular disc approximately 10cm in diameter.
- Add a tablespoon of the stuffing to the half closer to you. Brush the edges with “glue” and fold over the upper half sealing the karanji to form a semi circle. Press lightly, seal well, and use your fingertips to pinch the edge over onto itself.
- Place the karanji on a plate and cover with a damp cloth while you make the remaining.
- Heat oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry 3 to 4 karanjis at a time, turning them while frying until they are golden brown. They will slightly puff up and have a crisp coating.
- Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm while you fry the remaining. You can serve them warm or keep in the refrigerator.
