LAYERED KARJIKAI / KAJJIKAI (LAYERED DEEP FRIED DUMPLING) VINAYAKA CHAVITHI RECIPES II STEPWISE

Karjikai/Karjikayi/Kajjikai/kajjikayalu is a traditional sweet prepared during diwali and Ganesh pooja. It is prepared by making small balls made out of all-purpose flour.  The small balls are rolled into thin puris and filled with a variety of fillings and deep fried.  This can be stored for even 20 days in an air-tight container and it stays fresh.  There are different variations in the filling and every one follows their family recipe or tweaks it according to their liking. Whatever the name and variation they are super delicious with light crispy layer and delicious sweet filling.  I bet you can't stop by eating one.  I made 2 types of Karjikai with different filling before the day of Vinayaka Chavithi. 

Here is the variation of usual Karjikai.  This is layered Karjikai which comes out super crispy and filled with Roasted Channa dhal (Pottu kadalai in Tamil).  You can also use any kind of filling according to your liking. Here are few which I have posted earlier

Sesame Jaggery filling

Coconut filling

If you want to make plain Karjikai do take a look at this post KARJIKAI WITH COCONUT FILLING.

You can also play with different filling following the same procedure for outer wrapper. Make sure the filling is dry one so that you can store the sweet and enjoy...

LAYERED KARJIKAI / KAJJIKAI

Ingredients for outer wrapper:

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Rice flour - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Oil for frying

Ingredients for filling:

Roasted Channa dhal (Pottu Kadalai) - 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp

Sugar - 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp

Cashews - 10 chopped finely

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Dry Coconut (grated) - 1/2 tbsp

Ghee - 1/4 tsp for frying the cashew nuts

Extra ghee/brown butter and flour for brushing in-between each discs.

You need 1/2 tsp of ghee and 1 tsp of flour for each layer.

Method:

1. Powder the roasted gram and sugar together. Chop the cashews into small pieces.

2. Take a pan and tsp of ghee in it and roast cut cashews for few minutes until the cashews turn golden brown.

3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

4. The filling is ready. Keep this aside.

  

Method for rolling and filling:

 

Note :

1. You can store the sweet in airtight container.  It stays good for 10 to 15 days.
2. You can also use rice flour instead of all purpose flour  for sprinkling inbetweet 2 layers of the rolled dough.  Personally I like to sprinkle all purpose flour(maida).

Enjoy !!!

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KARJIKAI / KAJJIKAI ( DEEP FRIED DUMPLING ) - VINAYAKA CHAVITHI RECIPES I - STEPWISE

I am little late in posting Vinayaka Chavithi recipes :)  I did not have much time to post them in detail.  Here is the celebration of Vinayaka Chavithi/Ganesh Pooja we did this year.  There is no need for an occasion to do this delicious treat, its perfect anytime of the year.  It is absolutely delicious as a coffee or tea time snack. 

Karjikai/Karjikayi/Kajjikai/kajjikayalu is a traditional sweet prepared during diwali and Ganesh pooja. It is prepared by making small balls made out of all-purpose flour.  The small balls are rolled into thin puris and filled with a variety of fillings and deep fried.  This can be stored for even 20 days in an air-tight container and it stays fresh.  There are different variations in the filling and every one follows their family recipe or tweaks it according to their liking. Whatever the name and variation they are super delicious with light crispy layer and delicious sweet filling.  I bet you can't stop by eating one.  I made 2 types of Karjikai with different filling before the day of Vinayaka Chavithi.  On the Vinayaka Chavithi day I made modak and seasoned bean with rice flour dumplings (Sundal with undrallu).  I hope y'all will enjoy this Karjikai.  As requested by everyone stay tuned for Layered fried dumplings with different filling....:)

 

 

KARJIKAI / DEEP FRIED DUMPLINGS
with coconut filling

Ingredients :

Ingredients for outer layer :

Maida/All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Fine sooji/ Semolina - 1/8 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Salt  - A pinch
Hot ghee or oil - 1/2 tbsp (I used Ghee/Brown butter)

For the filling: (Coconut filling)

Dry Coconut - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/4 powdered cup
Cashew nuts - 5 chopped finely  ( You can also use any nuts, dry fruits like raisins as well)
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tsp (slightly roasted in dry pan)
Cardamom a pinch

You also use these fillings for making Karjikai

1. Sesame Seed Jaggery filling
2. Roasted Channa dhal filling


Method :

 

 

 

Note :

1. You can store the sweet in airtight container.  It stays good for 10 to 15 days.

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VINAYAKA CHAVITHI RECIPES

This is my last year vinayaka chavithi pooja its just for your glance. I made this ganesha using turmeric since I did not plan of making this there was nothing with me to decorate the god so used some jewels and petals of flowers. And I am posting the recipes of prasadams we offer to ganesha.. Since I was not able to post on that day I am posting it today. Hope you all will enjoy.......




Last year Pooja

This year festival

Recipe for Karjikai/Kozhukattai(Steamed dumplings filled with 3 different filling)

For the dough

Use home made rice flour for making this recipe.  If you do not have home made rice flour use Idiyappam flour which comes out absolutely fantastic.  The outer cover with Idiyappam flour comes as good as the rice flour made at home.  So don't worry if you cannot make rice flour at home. 
 

Ingredients :

Rice flour(You can use store bought Idiyappam flour) - 1 cup

Water - 1 1/4 cup

Salt - a pinch

Method :

1. Heat the water in a vessel add the salt to it.

2. When water boils, sim the flame and add the ric flour and mix quickly so that lumps will not form.

3. Now switch of the flame and keep close aside for 10 minutes.

4.Then knead well by adding warm water or diluted warm milk with little oil to smooth dough.

5.Make small balls out of the dough and keep closed otherwise it gets dried.

6.For making the modakam the mould is available you can use or just make like cup shape and fill with stuffing close the edges to get pear shaped one.

7. For semi circular shape again u can use chappathi maker press it the keep in the mould and close it.

8. Since I did not have both chappathi maker as well as mould I just did with hands. Just make small cup and using two hands make it to big one stuff the filling and seal the edges and twist it to get the design.

9. Now steam these for 15 minutes in high flame.

Stuffings :

I did two types of stuffing which is coconut and sesame.

For coconut stuffing :

Coconut scrapped - 1/2 cup

Sugar-1/2 cup

Cashews - few chopped finely

Ghee - tsp

Cardamom powder - 2 pinch

Method :

1. Mix both coconut and sugar keep aside for 10 minutes.

2. Now put this in a vessel and heat in low flame until sugar melts well and coconut is cooked if u touch and see u will feel sticky. Add the cardamom powder.

3. Now fry the cashew in the ghee and add to the coconut mixture.

4. Let it cool down and they seperates. U can make this before day itself and store in airtight container.

Sesame filling

Sesame - 1/2 cup

Jaggery grated - 1/2 cup

Method :

1. Fry the sesame in the pan and let it get roasted slightly.

2. Let it cool , then u powder it with jaggery and use for stuffing.

3. Even this u can make a day before and store in the air tight container.

Udhu untallu or Steamed Dhal Balls

Toor dhal- 1 cup

Urad dhal- 1 handful

Cummin seeds - 1 tsp

Pepper - few

Green chilli - 1

Red chilli - 2

Coconut - 1 tbsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Handful of soaked channa dhal in water

Seasoning:

Mustard - 2 tsp

Oil

salt

Curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak the dhal in water for 1 hr then coarsely grind with other ingredients and ferment overnight.

2.Then season with mustard and curry leaves add the channa dhal to it.

3. Make small balls and steam it for 15 minutes.

4. Once steamed make to proper balls again and its ready for pooja.

Sundal( Seasoned legumes)

White channa - 1/2 cup

Black channa - 1/2 cup

Green gram - 1/2 cup

Dried grean peas - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 1 inch

Green chilli - 3

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Curry leaves

coriander leaves

Lemon juice according to your sourness

coconut scraped - 1 tbsp

Mustard - 2 tsp

Urad dhal- 2 tsp

Oil little

Method:

1. Soak all the bean and legumes overnight and pressure cook and drain the water . dont throw the water it can be used for making rasam(chaaru) its so healthy.

2. Now grind the ginger and chilli to paste.

3. Season with Mustard, urad dhal, Asafoetida Curry leaves and add the ground ginger chilli paste.

4. Fry it and now add the boiled bean add the lemon juice, salt, coconut and mix well until they are well blended.

5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves now it is ready for pooja.

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VINAYAKA CHAVITHI

Ganesha Chaturthi or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu, Chavath in Konkani and Chathaa in Nepali.

It is celebrated as it is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September.

While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Goa (Biggest festival for Konkani people all over the world), Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and other areas. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal which was only Hindu Kingdom in the world and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka.

Lord Ganesha-The Lord Of Power And Wisdom (Meaning)

Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is worshipped first in any prayers. His names are repeated first before any auspicious work is begun and also before any kind of worship is begun. He is the Lord of power and wisdom. He is the eldest son of Lord Shiva and the elder brother of "Skanda" or Kartikeya. He is the energy of Lord Shiva and so He is called the son of Shankar and Uma Devi. By worshipping Lord Ganesha, mothers hope to earn for their sons the sterling virtues of Ganesha.

Prasad for the festival :

Different varieties of sweet puddings are prepared and offered to the Lord. Different varieties of fruits are also offered. The main sweet dish during the festival is the modak (modagam or modakam in South India). A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikai/karijikayi in Kannada) which is similar to the modak in composition and taste, but has a semicircular shape it is either steam cooked or fried. Which is also called as KOZHUKATTAI in Tamil. But when it comes to the fried variety of Karjikai the outer cover is made of maida and rava, which I will post some other day. 

KARJIKAI(Steamed variety) OR KOZHUKATTAI(Modak) / UDHU UNTALLU

In our house we offer Karjikai(Kozhukattai), Sundal [Which is done either with one or with mixed beans(Black channa, Dried peas, White channa, Green Gram) by adding some spices & seasoning], Kudumullu(Idli in Tamil) and Uddhu Untallu which is made with coarsely ground dhal seasoned and steamed.

IDLI (Kudumulu)

SUNDAL(MIXED BEAN WITH SEASONING)

" WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY GANESHA CHATURTHI "

Will post the recipes of all the prasadams in couple of days with my awards. Stay tuned.......

Here are the recipe for the vinayaka chavithi... Kozhukkattai, udhu untallu and sundal....

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