Matar Karanji /Gujiya Recipe (Maharashtrian Deep Fried Savoury Pastry)
An Indulgent deep fried snack with fresh green peas in every bite that can be served at your Holi or Diwali parties.
Matar Karanji/ Gujiya is an indulgent Maharashtrian snack made using seasonal fresh green peas. Green peas and fresh coconut along with a few other spices are stuffed in a crisp flour pastry and then deep fried till golden brown. Matar Karanji is usually served as a tea time snack but you can make mini, bite sized karanjis and serve them as a party appetizer or snack.
Spicy Matar karanji tastes great on its own but you can serve them with Raw Mango & Coconut Chutney or any chutney of choice at your Diwali or Holi parties
If you like this recipe, here are more variations of Karanji recipe
15 M
45 M
60 M
4-5 Servings
Ingredients
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For the cover:
- 1-1/2 cups All Purpose Flour (Maida)
- 3 tablespoon Sooji (Semolina/ Rava)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- Water , as required For the filling:
- 2 cups Green peas (Matar) , blanched and water drained off completely
- 1/2 cup Fresh coconut , grated
- 2 Green Chillies , chopped or as required
- 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds (Jeera) , roasted
- 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds)
- Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , Handful, chopped
- Mint Leaves (Pudina) , Handful, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice , (adjust)
- Salt , as required
- Cooking oil , for deep frying
How to make Matar Karanji /Gujiya Recipe (Maharashtrian Deep Fried Savoury Pastry)
To begin making the Matar Karanji first make the dough for the covering.
Mix the flour, semolina, salt and ghee. Rub together the mixture for 1-2 minutes till the ghee is completely incorporated. You can use a food processor if you have one.
Gradually add water just enough to form a stiff but pliable dough (about 4-5 tablespoons water should be sufficient)
Keep the dough covered for about 30 minutes.
In a mixer grinder, add the coconut, green chillies, coriander, mint leaves and cumin seeds and grind to a smooth paste. Do not add water.
In a mixing bowl add the peas, ground coconut mixture, ajwain, salt and lemon juice. Mix until all ingredients are combined
Heat oil for deep frying in a wok.
Pinch off small, lime sized balls of the dough and roll out into a thin circle about 3-4 inch in diameter. Use some oil or ghee to grease the working surface (do not use flour)
Place about 2-3 teaspoons of the peas filling on one side of the circle leaving some space on the edge.
Fold over the other half of the circle to make a half moon shape.
Press and seal the edge taking care that air pockets do not form inside.
Use a Karanji cutter or a small fluted pastry cutter/wheel to remove excess dough and shape the Karanji.
Deep fry on medium heat till golden brown. (You can shape the karanjis at one time. Keep them covered and the fry them in batches)
Spicy Matar karanji tastes great on its own but you can serve them with Raw Mango & Coconut Chutney or any chutney of choice at your Diwali or Holi parties
Madhuli Ajay
Giving up a lucrative career tinkering with Analytical equipments, Madhuli Ajay chose to tinker in her Food lab- developing new recipes & satisfying her culinary travel cravings. She has been sharing heirloom recipes on her blog 'My Foodcourt' for the past 9 yrs. Madhuli bakes to feed her soul. Testing recipes & photographing food for a cookbook, has fuelled her food photography passion. Based in the gorgeous 'Wine Capital' of India Nashik, Madhuli also loves spending time in her little kitchen garden.
