Karchikayi or Karanji is a popular and traditional snack from South India. It is the sibling of Gujiya from North India. Karanji is a crescent shaped, sweet fried dumpling, filled with a coconut and nut mix, deep fried to perfection.

Holi, the festival of colours marks the onset of Spring. A festival of colours carries a lot of mythological stories behind it. It is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm. Gujiyas are one of the sweet that is essentially prepared during this festival in North India.

What is the difference between Gujiya and Karchikayi ?

A crescent shaped, sweet fried dumpling, filled with a stuffing inside, it is crispy and flaky. It is deep fried to perfection. Different types of fillings are used in Gujiyas. But basically, gujiya has a stuffing with khoya and nuts. A sweet fried dumpling with coconut and sugar is called as karchikayi or karanji. Gujiya is popular in North India while Karchikayi hails from the South. If Gujiya is for the festival of Holi, Diwali is incomplete without our traditional karchikayi.

Are karanji, karchikayi and kajjikayalu the same?

Yes, it is called by different names in different states. In Karnataka, it is karchikayi, Somas or somasi in Tamil Nadu. It is known as karanji in maharashtra and as Kajjikayalu in Andhra Pradesh. Though the ingredients are the same, there may be a slight change. I would like to mention here that fresh coconut too is used sometimes.

Let’s get to the recipe of Karchikayi / Karanji / Kajjikayalu

karchikayi

Ingredients:

For the covering :

• 1.5 cup all purpose flour
• 0.25 cup semolina
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• salt to taste
• water for mixing ( i used 3/4 cup )

For the stuffing:

• 0.5 cup desiccated coconut
• 0.5 cup roasted gram
• 0.5 cup castor sugar
• 2 teaspoon poppy seed
• 4 cashews broken
• 4 cardamom
• 15 raisins

Method:

To make the dough:

In a wide, add the ingredients and mix it well with fingers. Add little water and mix to a firm dough. Cover with a thin damp cloth and keep it aside for half an hour.

To make the stuffing:

• Roast the roasted gram for a two minutes.
• Roast the desiccated coconut for a few seconds.
• Roast the poppy seeds until it is slighly golden in colour.
• Grind the roasted gram along with cardamom.
• Mix it with poppy seed, roasted coconut and sugar.
• Break the cashew into small piece and throw in the raisins.
• Mix it well.

To make the karchikayi:

• Take a small ball of the dough, roll it into a thin puri. I use a mould to make the karchikayi, but it can be done without it also. Put the rolled puri on the mould, put teaspoon of the filling in the cavity and slowly seal it with the other side. Slowly, remove it and seal the edges if they are not intact.
• Repeat for another ball of the dough, keep the stuffed ones covered beneath the damp cloth.
• Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot, slowly add two of them into and deep fry on a low flame until golden in colour.
• Remove on a plate with tissue paper. Repeat again.
• Once they are cool, store them in an air tight container.

making of karchikayi collage

Take a tip:

• Rub the flour well before mixing with water.
• Keep covered for atleast 30 minutes.
• While frying, put a small piece of dough to check if the temperature. If the dough, immediately rises to the top, it is ready to use.
• One can use fresh coconut also.
• Dry fruits are optional, you can add more or not at all.

Print Pin

Karchikayi / Karanji / Kajjikayalu

Karchikayi or karanji is a popular and traditional sweet from South India, it is usually made during Diwali. 

Course festive treats, sweets, traditional sweets

Cuisine karnataka, South Indian

Keyword karanji, karchikayi, sweets, traditional sweets

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Resting time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 22 pieces

Author Jayashree

Ingredients

For the covering:

• 1.5 cup all purpose flour
• 0.25 cup semolina
• 2 teaspoon ghee
• salt to taste
• water for mixing

For the stuffing:

• 0.5 cup desiccated coconut
• 0.5 cup roasted gram
• 0.5 cup castor sugar
• 2 teaspoon poppy seed
• 4 cashew broken
• 15 raisin
• 4 cardamom

Other ingredients:

• oil for frying
• all purpose flour for dusting

Instructions

For the covering:

• In a wide bowl. add the flour, semolina, salt and ghee. Mix it well with fingers until it forms a crumbly texture. Add little water and mix it to a dough. Keep it covered with a damp cloth for 30 minutes.

For the filling:

• Roast the roasted gram for two minutes, put it aside to cool.
• Roast the desiccated coconut for sometime, put it aside.
• Roast the poppy seeds until it is golden in colour.
• Grind the roasted gram and cardamom together.
• Put it in a wide bowl, add the other ingredients and mix it well. This is the stuffing

To make karchikayi

• Take a small ball of the dough, roll it into a puri.
• Put it on the mould, add two teaspoon of the filling, apply a little water and close the other side over it. 
• Slowly remove it and keep it aside covered with  a damp cloth, make a few more.
• Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot, put two filled karchikayi into it and deep fry on a low to medium flame until golden in colour. Keep tossing them in between. 
• Once it is done, remove on a plate with tissue paper. Repeat for the others.
• When cool, store in an air tight container.

This post is part of #GujiyaDelightatHW for the Holi festival. Here’s more of gujiya recipes for you:

• Apple Gujiya
• Apple Pie Karanji
• Coconut Mawa Gujiya
• Chocolate Gujiyas with Puff Pastry
• Nutella and Nuts Gujiya

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