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Neureos | Karanji Recipe | How To Make Karanji

These Goan Neureos/Karanji are crispy and flaky filled with a delicious and irresistible coconut, semolina and dried fruit stuffing.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Goan, Indian, Maharashtrian
Keyword Karanji, Neureos, Nevri
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 21 neureos
Author Freda Dias

Ingredients

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml

For the stuffing

  • 1/4 cup fine semolina/rava/sooji
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut approx 90 grams
  • 1 tbsp charoli, If you can't find it, substitute with any other nut of choice
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
  • 1 tbsp raisins
  • Pinch of of cardamom powder
  • 6 tbsp powdered sugar, adjust as per desired sweetness
  • 1/2 tbsp ghee

For the pastry shell

  • 1 cup all purpose flour (maida) 143 grams
  • 1/2 tbsp ghee
  • Salt, to taste
  • Water, as required to knead the dough

Other ingredients

  • Oil, as required to deep fry

Instructions

For the stuffing

  • Heat a heavy bottomed skillet / non-stick skillet over medium heat, dry roast semolina until crisp and fragrant. Set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add ghee, once hot enough, add charoli, sauté for 30 seconds or until it turns slightly darker.
  • Next, add poppy seeds, sauté another minute.
  • Add the desiccated coconut, roast until it turns golden brown.
  • Add the roasted semolina, mix everything well, transfer to another bowl and let the mixture cool completely.
  • Once the mixture has cooled, add powdered sugar, raisins and cardamom powder, mix well. The stuffing for the karanji is ready.

For the pastry shell

  • Combine flour, ghee, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix the ghee with the flour.
  • Add water little at a time, knead to form a smooth and firm dough. The dough should not be too soft nor too hard. Cover with a damp napkin and set aside for an hour.

To make the Neureos | Karanji

  • Transfer the dough to the work surface, divide it into equal portions (about walnut sized portions, around 15). Roll out the rest in the same manner.
  • Take one portion, dust it in flour, roll it out very thin, to a diameter of about 4 inches. Dust flour, as needed whilst rolling.
  • Transfer the rolled dough to the mold, fill a tablespoon of the filling (do not overstuff), apply water all around the edge, close the mold tightly, open it, trim the edges and unmold the neureo. Cover the neureos with a clean, damp kitchen napkin while you prepare the remaining in the same way. Collect all the scraps, form a dough, divide and roll out more dough to make more neureos (we got 6 extra from the scraps). Dust off excess flour before stuffing them.
  • If you do not have a mold, you can do it the traditional way. Place a tablespoon of the stuffing in the center of the rolled dough, apply water all around the edges, bring one edge and join the other to form a half moon shape. Seal with a fork or keep pinching to form the pleated pattern.
  • Heat oil in a kadai, deep fry the prepared neureos on medium heat, in batches, flipping in between, until golden. They will continue to cook once you remove them out, so don't overcook them. Keep the rest of the prepared neureos covered with a damp kitchen napkin, to prevent the dough from drying out.
  • Transfer to a tray lined with absorbent kitchen napkin to drain off excess oil.
  • Once cool completely they crisp up. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

Notes

This recipe can easily be multiplied for more yield.