Crunchy treats

KARARI  SEV:

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Nutralite
• 1½-2 cups gram flour
• Oil for deep-frying + for greasing
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp asafoetida
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder

Method

• Grease a chakli press attached to a sev attachment with some oil.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
• Combine gram flour, salt, asafoetida, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder in a bowl.
• Melt the Nutralite in a microwave, add to flour mixture alongwith some water and knead into a stiff dough.
• Grease your palms with some oil and fill in the greased chakli press with some prepared dough.
• Press the dough strips out into hot oil and deep-fry on low heat till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Cool.
• Serve or store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE AND NUT KARANJI:

Ingredients

• 1½ cups refined flour (maida)        
• 3 tablespoons Nutarlite        
• Oil for deep-frying Stuffing
• ½ cup grated dark chocolate        
• ¼ cup chopped almonds            
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts        
• ½ cup grated mawa/khoya
• 2 tsp sugar

Method

• Put the flour in a deep bowl. Add Nutralite and add two-three tablespoons of chilled water or chilled milk. Knead into a medium-soft dough, adding more chilled water or milk as you go along. Divide into small balls and let them rest, covered with a damp cloth.
• To make the stuffing, mix the khoya/mawa, sugar, walnuts, almonds and chocolate in a bowl. Chill it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
• Roll out the dough balls into small round puri.  Place a puri on the worktop; moisten its edges.
• Place some stuffing in the centre and fold one side of the puri over the other. Press the edges to seal and further twist the edges with your finger tips in a decorative manner.  Or, cut the edges with a serrated cutter. You can also make the karanji using a mould.
• Keep the karanji in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Deep-fry the karanjis, a few at a time, till light brown.  Drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve hot or allow them to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.

— Recipes courtesy  Chef Sanjeev Kapoor