Matar Karanji (Pea Dumpling)

This recipe is a childhood favorite. My mother deep fried the karanji but I wanted to avoid deep frying. So I tried baking it. It turned out pretty good and the family loved it.

You will need

For the filing
1 cup peas (I used frozen, not thawed)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Madhava agave nectar (I use it in place of sugar)
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
olive oil

For the dough
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina
1 tbsp. besan
1 tsp. ajwain
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup milk

Take the flour, semolina and besan in a mixing bowl. Add to it 1 tbsp. of heated oil. Mix the oil into the flour. Add the rest of the ingredients for the dough including the milk. Using water knead the dough. Let it rest covered.

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they being to crackle add the turmeric powder and the peas. Let them cook. Sprinkle water if needed. When done turn off heat.

Transfer to a bowl and mash to crumble using a masher. Do not overdo it, you do not want a paste.

Add the remaining ingredients for the filling and mix together.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Knead the dough and divide into lemon sized balls. Keep covered under a moist paper towel or cloth.

Take one ball of dough and knead it in you hand until soft. Roll it out to the size of a CD. Place a heaped spoonful of filling in the center and fold the dough in half. Close the open edges to form a half moon shaped karanji (dumpling). Place the dumpling back under the moist towel. Repeat for the remaining dough. Lightly grease a baking sheet with oil. Place the dumplings on the sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Turn them over and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with pickle or ketchup.