There is something about festive delicacies that evoke a child in all of us. Even though the prices of cashew nuts are touching the roof, that won’t stop us from buying a dabba of Kaju Katli as soon as Diwali is around the corner. We have to do that to ourselves because at some point, and we need to give ourselves a break from the ten boxes of Soan Papdi that were given to us by our neighbours and friends. A delectable festive sweet indeed, but how much is too much? Anyhow, while Soan Papdi and Kaju Katli rule the roost in North India, a scrumptious crunchy fest defines Diwali indulgence in Maharashtra.
Diwali, for the unversed, is also called the festival of lights. One of India’s most widely celebrated festivals, Diwali marks the homecoming of Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lakshman after their exile of fourteen years. Diwali is celebrated across India, and the festivities are abound with various local traditions and rituals. For example, the Maharashtrian tradition of ‘Faral’. Faral is an assortment of savoury and sweet snacks prepared by women of the house for the special occasion of Diwali and Narak Chaturdashi. Narak Chaturdashi is a festival that is celebrated a day before Diwali. It is said that on this auspicious day, Lord Krishna slayed the demon Narakasura. On this day, Maharashtrians also have a special ritual of tasting something bitter, and it is a symbolic act signifying that something sweet follows only after you have something bitter. The plate comprising Faral is kept out for the family and neighbours who drop by with sweets. The usual suspects here are chakli, shakarpada, chiwda. Some people also include Karanji in this feast. What is Karanji, you ask? Karanji is a semi-circular crispy snack filled with a sweet stuffing of coconut, sugar and dry fruits.
In terms of looks, it bears an uncanny resemblance with the Gujiya. The Rajasthani snack that gains prominence during Holi in North India. Like Gujiya, Karanji too can be called a fried dumpling, but Karanji finds more takers in Diwali in Maharashtra. The preparations begin days in advance, and the filling is made by frying together the shredded coconut, khoya on some occasions, raisins, nuts and sweets. Fried until the sugar caramelizes and the mixture is brown and fragrant; the mixture is taken out on a large flat plate. Small rotis are rolled out of a smooth maida dough, in the centre of which goes a mound of this delectable mixture, the rotis are folded in half, the edges are sealed, and then these karanjis are fried in oil until they are brown and crisp. One of the reasons why Karanji is also popular during Diwali is because of the string of festivals that precede and succeed the festival of lights. These Karanjis can be cooked and stored for a longer duration of time in air-tight containers. Besides their impressive shelf life, they are also a treat to bite into at any time. Here’s a lovely recipe you should try soon.