Karjikai (sweet puffs)

Ingredients:

• Maida (all purpose flour) – 1 cup
• Daida (Crisco / Margarine) – 2 teaspoons
• Salt – to taste
• Gingelly (Sesame) – ½ cup
• Grated coconut – 1 cup
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Cardamom powder – from 1 pod

Method:
Mix salt and daida with maida. Sprinkle a little water to the mixture and knead well for 10 minutes. Divide into lime size balls. Roll each ball into a betel leaf size disc (about 2” diameter). Roast the gingelly. Roast the grated coconut on a flat pan until it is absolutely dry. Mix the coconut, gingelly, sugar and cardamom powder. On each rolled disc place about one teaspoon full of the coconut mixture and fold it into half moon shape to make karjikai. Press the curved edges and twist to keep the mixture in. (Moulds to make karjikai shapes are available in shops). Fry the kargikai in deep oil till they turn golden brown in colour.