I feel like typing “Happy Ganesh Utsav”, but I’m 99.9% certain that’s incorrect, inapposite and just plain inane. Surely I will suffer a beat-down for my cheekiness; I implore you to bear in mind (while you are paddling me) that I’m just a simple Christian girl from Coconut land/God’s own country who has no idea what this snack even IS. ;)
It’s well-established that I’m reading whenever I’m on the metro and half the time I’m doing that, I’m actually scanning the articles for sepia-tinted stories which I can bring you here. :) Normally, I find brown down ‘round the front page; yesterday, I was slightly surprised to see that my “local” paper’s Food section was where the mutiny was at. Et voila, an article by Priya Phadke to coincide with a certain deity’s partay. I’ve seen hundreds of recipes in WaPo, but this is the first desi one that I’ve noticed.
Priya is the assistant art director for The Post’s Sunday Source, a.k.a. the section I love most and thus save for Georgetown, Dean and Deluca and cappuccino-soaked Sunday afternoons. Here’s what our dear artiste had to say about what you guys are going to be making (and then sending to North Dakota, please. Thanks!):
In the three years since I moved to the United States from Mumbai, as Bombay is now called, I get most homesick during festive seasons. My maternal grandmother nani would make comfort food, and her karanjees are what I miss most.
Karenjees are dough stuffed with soft, shredded coconut that is flavored with cardamom, saffron, sugar and Gulkand, a rose petal jam that lends a distinctive flavor and fragrance and sets my nani’s karanjees apart from all others.
I’m thinking about karanjees because today is the start of Ganesh Chaturthi, or Ganesh Utsav, the festival celebrating the birthday of Lord Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati. To Hindus, Lord Ganesh is one of the most beloved gods, and he is invoked at the commencement of any auspicious function.
:+:
Karanjees
Makes 10 to 12
1 cup Sooji-Farina (Indian semolina)*
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 3 cups or more for frying
1 cup low-fat milk or water
1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened frozen coconut*
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
Saffron (optional)
2 tablespoons Gulkand*
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon rice flour
In a large bowl, mix the Sooji-Farina and the whole wheat flour. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil and 3/4 cup of the milk or water, adding the remaining 1/4 cup, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Knead the dough until it is slightly firm but pliable. Shape the dough and leave it in the bowl, covered, for an hour.
Meanwhile, in a large pan on low heat, add the frozen coconut and the sugar. When the mixture turns sticky, about 25 minutes, add the cardamom, a pinch of saffron, if using, and the Gulkand and stir. Add the raisins and cook until the mixture turns a light brown color, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Divide the dough into 9 pieces and shape each one into a small ball. Using a rolling pin on a work surface sprinkled with flour, roll the balls flat to a width of about 4 inches. Just off the center of each flattened piece, spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of the karanjee filling (there will be some left over). Fold each piece in half over the filling, leaving no air pockets, and press down on the edges until sealed. Using a straight or serrated pizza cutter, slice along the edge for a finished look. Use trimmings from the 9 pieces to form 1 to 3 more balls, and fill them the same way as the others.
In a large pot over high heat, add the 3 cups of oil. When the oil is hot, gently add two karanjees and fry, turning if necessary, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the karanjees and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining karanjees. Serve cool.
*NOTE: Sooji-Farina, also called rava; unsweetened frozen coconut; and Gulkand, a rose petal jam, are available in Indian specialty stores.
Per serving: 336 calories, 4 g protein, 48 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 5 g saturated fat, 16 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber
