Baked Karjikai/ Karanji ~~Karnataka recipes

Celebrate a healthy festival with this healthier version of a traditional delicacy. Do not let the pics deceive you, they are even more tastier, crunchier with gooey center than the original deep fried version!

When it is the time for festivals, we cook and eat loads of lip-smacking dishes, desserts as well as snacks. It is very hard to resist when your doctor has denied you on eating those amazing dishes. Here is something healthy, guilt-free and tastier specialty snack for those with cholesterol/diabetes and other health problems who would like to make their day more special. As usual, I was wondering where can I cut down the calories in all these festival snacks. I thought I could replace Maida with wheat flour (my mum does this) and instead of deep frying it, I can try baking it without oil. The outcome was simply superb. The Kanajis we crispier than the ones that are fried and the crispiness lasted for more than a week. Another advantage is that you can make a huge number of Karanjis in one go because you will be baking them.

The recipe is from my mom which is very simple. Her recipe is traditional and hence the stuffing is coconut and jaggery. I have followed her recipe but you can modify it as per your taste preferences.

Nutritional Information  (Approx) (per serving)
Energy	40		Calories
Fat	5		%
Carbohydrates	20.3		%
Dietary Fiber	1.8		%
Sodium	46		mg
Vitamin A	1.4		%
Vitamin C	1		%
Calcium	10.3		%
Iron	3.3		%
Protein	4.8		Grams
Sugar	8.1		Grams

Ingredients : For stuffing
Jaggery grated/powdered	1.5 cups
Water	2 tablespoons
Cardamom powder	1 teaspoon
Mixture of nuts chopped	quantity of your choice
Raisins	quantity of your choice

Ingredients : For dough
Wheat flour	3/4 cup + more for dusting
Fine semolina	1/4 cup
Salt	a pinch
Baking soda	1/2 teaspoon
Water	as needed

• Scrape or powder the jaggery. Add 2 tablespoons of water and heat it till it melts completely. Filter the liquid jaggery to remove the dust. 
• Add jaggery, cardamom powder and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes or till the mixture thickens. Make sure the mixture does not dry completely since the gooey stuffing makes it taste delicious.
• Add chopped nuts and raisins and remove the mixture from heat. Let it cool while you prepare the dough.

• Combine Wheat flour, fine Semolina, salt and Baking soda.
• Add water little by little to the flour to make it a dough. Knead the dough to the roti dough consistency for about 5 minutes. Make small balls each to the size of a lemon out of the dough.
• Dust the surface and roll a ball into a flat roti. Place the filling on it. Make sure you have enough space on all the sides to cover the stuffing.

• Seal the edges by pulling one side from the other side with little water on the edges. Press the edges with your fingers.
• Use a fork to press on the edge to make the Karanji design.
• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Place the Karanjis on a lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees.