Half-moon treats

In her book From Varan Bhaat to Biryani My Romance With Food Mumbai resident Roopa Nabar lists a recipe for gulachi karanji Itrsquos different from the traditional sugar versions available in the city She describes it as ldquosweetened with jaggery and deep fried to crisp perfectionhellip a brilliant example of how you donrsquot need fancy ingredients to whip up sweet treats for yourselfrdquo The crisp flaky and usually fried pastry with a filling of coconut cardamom jaggery poppy seeds and dried fruits the festive sweet has many avatars across India And perhaps around the world tooKalwarsquos Janaki Gruhodyogrsquos Marudhan Foods started by Pankaj extreme left and Vaishali Kharkar 30 years ago now exports kanwle to the US UK and Canada PicSameer MarkandeThe Spanish empanadamdashthe sweet ones that make for great desserts and as accompaniment to afternoon coffee or teamdashand the qottab an Iranian pastry from Yazd with almondfilling and dusted with powdered sugarmdash are examples Nabar brings our attention to how in Goa the Catholics make their version of karanji which they call nevri Made during Christmas it is moulded from whole wheat flour and stuffed with grated coconut jaggery and dry fruits ldquoIn the Konkan region itrsquos called shengamdashshaped like a halfmoon this one is filled with a sweet mixture of grated fresh coconut and a hint of suji or chana dal to lend it a grainy texture It is made during Ganpati and Diwali The dried coconut is for prolonged shelf life The savoury version of karanji is called ghughri in Maharashtra and the filling is of spicy green peas usually eaten during the naming ceremony of a childrdquo she explainsThe karanji is different from its richer north Indian cousin gujiya which is made with semolina or maida and stuffed with a mixture of sweetened khoa and dried fruits and often fried in ghee However the earliest mention of gujiya dates to the 13th century in the regions of Bundelkhand and Braj when a jaggeryhoney mixture was covered with wheat flour and sundriedDuring our research we came across an exquisite delicacy prepared during festivals in the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu CKP community called the khajyache kanawle Light flaky and colourful making them is an art Its layers and lightness determine the skill of the maker of a batch and it easily takes around six to eight hours to prepare a batch Very often even after careful preparation the recipe fails to show layers Kalwarsquos Janaki Gruhodyog founded by Pankaj and Vaishali Kharkar nearly three decades ago in their home kitchen has mastered the art and retails its kanawle through the Marudhan Foods brand This is their signature preparation ldquoItrsquos a multilayered karanji loaded with dry coconut stuffing pithi and is meltinmouth Colourful versions of this delicacy are also prepared during marriage ceremonies and other prosperous occasions in CKP households Itrsquos a lot more delicate than the regular karanji and takes utmost skill and care not just to make but also eatrdquo laughs the brandrsquos thirdgeneration owner Atharva KharkarLight flaky and colourful making khajyache khanawle is an art Its layers and lightness determine the skill of the maker a batchAlthough the Kharkars started off making these during festivals they now hawk them all year through training their staff to make daily batches to allow customers to walk into the store and pick up a box Rs 50 for a pieceTracing its origins author Sushama Deshpande tells midday ldquoFor the CKPs making kanawle is a tradition thatrsquos more than a hundred years old itrsquos a staple in our homes My mother was 97 when she passed away four years ago and it was her childhood favourite eat Back in the days every home in the Konkan had coconut trees and rice farming was common Which means that the raw materials for it were readily available Making the kanawle with dried coconut increases its shelf life The wheat semolina was brought in to make it nice and flaky a texture that canrsquot be achieved with rice flourrdquoThe Kokni Muslim version of the karanji is called chawachi puri or sheeng and is made with fresh coconut sugar and charoli Andheribased home chef Mumtaz Kazi says ldquoThis sweet dish holds a special place during wedding ceremonies when we take naashta snacks for the bride and bridegroomrsquos familymdashitrsquos the most awaited one While it is made throughout the year in the rainy season crisp puris with coconut filling called chav or chun are heart warming The steamed versions can be compared to the modak but the shape is the half moonrdquoGulachi karanjiIngredients12 cup grated jaggery1 cup grated dried coconut1 cup refined flour or maida for dusting1 tbsp semolina1 12 tbsp gheeMilk as required for sealing1 tbsp sesame seeds2 tbsp Bengal gram or chana dal roasted and ground to a powder1 tsp green cardamom powderOil for deep fryingMethodCombine the flour semolina and ghee in a bowl and mix well till it resembles breadcrumbs Add milk gradually and knead into a stiff dough Cover and set aside Heat a pan add the coconut and roast for five minutes or till lightly brown Transfer to a bowl Dry roast the sesame seeds till wellbrowned in the same pan Add to the coconut along with powdered Bengal gram and mix well Cool the mixture to room temperature Add the jaggery and green cardamom powder to the above mixture and mix well Heat oil in a kadhai divide the dough into eight equal portions and shape each portion into a small bowl Roll out each ball into a medium disc Place a spoonful of coconut mixture in the centre Apply milk on the edges of half the disc fold over and press the edges to make a crescent Cut the extra edges with a karanji cutter similarly making the remaining karanjya Deep fry on medium heat till light golden Serve once cooled to room temperatureChawachi puri or sheengIngredients200 gms maida1tsp oil1 cup fresh coconut scrapedfrac14 tsp cardamom powder2 b gheeA few charolichirongiOil for fryingSugar as per tasteMethodMake a dough of maida sprinkle oil on it and let it sit for 30 minutes In a bowl take scrapped coconut add sugar as per taste mix it and keep aside Take a kadhai heat ghee and add the coconut mix charoli and cardamom powder Cover and cook on slow flame for 10 minutes The mix should be moist Roll the dough into small puris place the coconut mixture on one side and fold like a halfmoon With a charki spoon seal the edges Deep fry not to a golden brown it should be whiteTo orderA batch of khajyache kanawle facebookcommarudhanfoodsA batch of sheeng home_chefmumz