Matar Karanji (Indian Green Peas Empanada)

This is another one of my mom's specialty recipes. The green pea filling tastes divine in this karanji. I used to beg her to make this on almost all my birthdays and also when I was pregnant!

Even though the procedure looks elaborate, its really simple to make: For the cover, take 1.5 cups wheat flour, 1/2 cup fine rava/sooji/cream of wheat, 2 tsp hot oil, salt to taste in a bowl. Knead the dough with water and keep it under wet cloth for 1 hr. You have to keep on kneading it after every 20 mins to make it soft.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp roasted poppy seeds (khus khus), 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional) and 1 tsp crushed garlic. Saute till the onions are soft. To this add about 1.5 cups crushed green peas. The green peas should be very coarsely crushed. Cover and cook for 5 mins on medium low heat. Add salt and lemon juice to taste and 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut along with a little chopped cilantro. Let it cool.

Then make lemon size balls of the dough and roll out little discs. Put about 3-4 tsp filling and fold it over to make a crescent shape  and cut off the edges with a karanji cutter or you can seal them with a fork, (the folding and sealing process is exactly like you would do for an empanada). Take care not to put excess filling or else you will not be able to seal the karanjis properly and they will break open while frying.

Deep fry them in hot oil and serve with green chutney or ketchup!!

This recipe is going to Mharo Rajasthan's Bookmarked Recipe Every Tuesday Event: Volume 24, hosted by US Masala.