Karigadabu – Karnataka Style Karanji Recipe
Karigadabu, also known as Karanji, is a traditional sweet from Karnataka that is especially popular during Ganesh Chaturthi. It consists of a flaky, deep-fried pastry filled with a delicious stuffing of roasted gram dal (pottukadalai), desiccated coconut, and sugar, flavored with cardamom. Serve Karigadabu as a delightful evening snack or as a festive dessert during special occasions.
Cuisine: South Indian
Course: Dessert
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (or All-Purpose Flour)
- 1/4 cup Sooji (Semolina/Rava), fine variety
- 1 handful Rice Flour
- 2 tbsp Ghee, melted
- Oil, for deep frying
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup Roasted Gram Dal (Pottukadalai)
- 1/4 cup Desiccated Coconut
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 Cardamom Pods (Elaichi), crushed
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Dough:
- Heat ghee in a small pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, rice flour, and semolina.
- Slowly pour the hot ghee over the flour mixture. Ghee will bubble upon contact, so pour it carefully.
- Once the ghee has been added, mix the flour with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add water little by little to knead the dough. The dough should be stiff, not too soft. Knead it well until smooth.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set it aside to rest while you prepare the filling.
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Prepare the Filling:
- In a mixer, grind the roasted gram dal, cardamom, and sugar to a fine powder.
- Add the desiccated coconut to this mixture and stir well to combine.
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Shape the Karigadabu:
- Once the dough has rested, knead it again for a minute or two. Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls.
- Roll each ball into a thin disk (about 4 inches in diameter and 2mm thick). Keep the rest of the dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.
- Place 1 tablespoon of the prepared filling on one half of the rolled-out dough.
- Lightly brush the edges with water using a pastry brush or your finger. Fold the dough over the filling to form a semi-circle and press the edges together to seal.
- Use a fork to press along the edges, creating a decorative pattern while securing the seal.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
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Fry the Karigadabu:
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan (Kadai) over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, gently slide the Karigadabu one by one into the oil. Fry them on medium heat until golden and crisp.
- Remove the Karigadabu from the oil and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
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Serve:
- Allow the Karigadabu to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
- Serve these delicious Karigadabu as an evening snack or as a sweet treat during festive meals.
Enjoy the crispy and sweet Karigadabu, a perfect bite to indulge in during festive times or as a special dessert!
