Rose Coconut Karanji is a crispy pastry filled with sweet and delicate rose flavored coconut filling that simply melts in your mouth.
It is Diwali this week and if I can share one traditional recipe with you, it would hands down be this rose coconut Karanji. A modern twist to the traditional karanji or gujiya, this divine treat has aromatic filling bundled around crispy layered pastry. Happy Diwali everyone!
What is Diwali
The festival of lights, Diwali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, celebrated over 5 days. It is my favorite Indian festival with many fond memories of it growing up. My mom would start her preparations a month in advance.
House is decorated with lanterns and pretty clay diyas. Fresh yellow and orange marigold garlands and mango leaves hung on the doors and gorgeous rangolis made in front of the house. And the best part? A festive home filled with family, friends and the amazing aromas of the delicious sweets and savories made by mom.
One traditional dish made in most Maharashtrian homes is the Karanji, a fried pastry with sweet coconut filling. One year my mom decided to change her recipe. She now made it with a new fragrant filling, which we LOVED so much it instantly replaced her old recipe and became a new tradition for every Diwali since.
Given this is my first Diwali recipe post, I wanted to share this rose coconut karanji recipe is beautiful, aromatic and flavorful. An interesting part of this recipe is it uses food colors home made from roasted beetroot juice and saffron strands instead of artificial food coloring.
The filling itself is quiet easy and can be made in under 5 minutes. Simply mix fine coconut powder, powdered sugar, gulkand, and rose essence. Another amazing recipe with the yummy gulkand{rose petal preserve} that I also love to add in the seviyan kheer.
Since, the filling is so effortless, sometimes I make the outer pastry covering a bit fancy by adding flaky layers. Which is completely optional as single layered outer covering tastes equally good too. So if you are short on time you can skip the layering process.
Step by step process to make layered rose coconut karanji:
- First, divide the dough into 3 parts.
- Then, add a teaspoon of roasted beetroot juice (or few drops of red coloring) to one part and knead well for 5 minutes.
- Soak saffron in a teaspoon of warm milk and add it to the second part. Knead well for 5 minutes.
- Knead the remaining white dough for 2-3 minutes.
- Roll each dough ball into a 12 inch circle.
- Mix melted ghee and rice flour to form smooth rice paste and keep aside.
- Start with the white rolled circle, apply a thin layer of rice paste.
- Put the pink circle on top of the white and apply a thin layer of rice paste on it.
- Lastly, layer the yellow circle and apply remaining rice paste to it.
- Roll the three layers tightly to form a long roll.
- Cut the roll in the middle and then cut each part into 1/4th inch discs.
- For each disc, press outer white edge forward so the outermost layer is on the top/front. With the layers overlapping each other and the disc forming an oval shape. This step is very important as it keeps the layers together while rolling. Do not flatten the disk at its center by pressing on the top as the layers may start opening as you roll them.
- Roll each disc into 3-inch circle.
- Put the sweet filling in the center.
- Apply, little milk on edges using your finger. Then, fold the circle over to form a semi-circle with the edges sealing the filling inside. I prefer picking up the disc in my hand then, adding the filling and sealing. Although, it can also be done on a board.
- Once the karanji is sealed firmly, using a fork press the edges to form a pretty pattern or the edges can also be folded into tiny pleats.
- Continue to roll, fill, and seal rest of the discs.
- After, all the karanjis are ready. Add, oil into a fry pan on medium high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add 2-3 karanjis. Lower the heat to medium-low and fry for 4-5 minutes turning once half way through. If, they start to brown sooner, lower the heat further.
Allow a complete cool down. Enjoy the delicious rose coconut karanji with your family and friend and store in an airtight container.
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Rose Coconut Karanji {crispy pastry with sweet rose flavoured coconut filling}
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 2 cups coconut powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp gulkand/rose preserve
- 1 tsp rose essence
- Outside cover:
- 1-1/2 cups fine rava/semolina
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp ghee
- oil for frying
- Layering:
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the filling. Rub filling on the palm of the hands for couple of minutes so that the rose preserve is mixed evenly.
- Mix semolina and all purpose flour. Heat ghee and add to the flour. Warm up the milk. Add 1/2 cup of milk to the flour and start kneading dough. Add little bit milk as required to form firm dough. Usually 3/4th cup of milk should suffice. But depending on the rava, you may need more or less to make firm dough. Keep aside for 20 mins.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Add a 1 tsp of roasted beetroots juice (or few drops of red coloring) to one part and knead well for 5 mins. Soak saffron in 1 tsp of warm milk and add to the second part. Knead well for 5 mins. Knead the remaining white dough for a few minutes.
- Roll each dough ball into a 12 inch circle. Mix melted ghee and rice flour to form smooth rice paste and keep aside. Start with the white rolled circle, apply a thin layer of rice paste. Put the pink circle on top of the white and apply a thin layer of rice paste on it. Lastly layer the yellow circle and apply remaining rice paste to it. Roll the three layers tightly to form a long roll.
- Cut the roll into 20-24 discs. For each disc, press outer white edge forward so that the outermost layer is on the top/front with the layers overlapping each other and the disc forming an oval shape. This step is very important as it keeps the layers together while rolling. Do not flatten the disk at its center by pressing on the top as the layers may start opening as you roll them.
- Roll each disc into 3-inch circle. Put the sweet filling in the center. Apply little milk on edges using your finger and then fold the circle over to form a semi-circle with the edges sealing the filling inside. I prefer picking up the disc in my hand and then adding the filling and sealing but it can also be done on a board.
- Once the karanji is sealed firmly, using a fork press the ends to form a nice pattern or the edges can also be folded into small pleats. Continue to roll and fill rest of the discs.
- After all the karanjis are ready, add oil in a fry pan on medium high heat for 2-3 mins. Once the oil is hot, add 2-3 karanjis, lower the heat to medium-low and fry for 4-5 minutes turning once half way through. If they start to brown sooner, lower the heat further. Let them cool down completely. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
Green Delhi says
They look so beautiful and tasty!
Archana says
Thank you!