Wholewheat Sugarfree Baked Karanji | Diabetic recipes | Healthy Snacks

Who said diabetics cant snack ? Thats a challenge my mom handled easily while she used to cook for dad who was an early diabetic. And seeing her cleverly substituting over the years, that healthy eating has kind of rubbed on me and sis too.. 

So today, after the Diabetic Mini Thali and Cucumber Sprouts Salad for the Blogging Marathon, we have a healthy and diabetic friendly Baked Gujiya / Karanji (aka Somas in Tamil or Hurigadubu in Kannada) which is not only sugarfree but also made with Wholewheat and is baked (not deep fried)...

Yes, the taste varies vastly from the fried version, but who cares as long as one can munch on these completely guilt free. I have used a stuffing of dates and roasted poppy seeds and NO added sugar. But one can use any stuffing of their choice. We surely liked this and are sure to make them even on festivals.

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Wholewheat Sugar free Baked Karanji

Cuisine : Indian, course : Snacks / Naivedyam (offering to God)

Prep time : 25 mins, Bake time : 15-20 mins, Makes : 9 pieces (medium-large sized)

Ingredient:

Outer covering / skin :

Wholewheat flour - 1 cup

Baking powder - ½ tsp

Salt - a pinch

Melted ghee / clarified butter - 2 tsp

Warm water - ¼ - ⅓ cup

Warm milk - 2 TBSP

Oil - 1 TBSP

Stuffing:

Pitted dates (soft version) - 4 TBSP

Almond Meal - 2 tsp

Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

Poppy seeds - 1 TBSP

Method:

For the outer cover / skin

• In a bowl, sieve flour, salt and baking powder twice over. Add the melted ghee and rub into the flour to resemble bread crumbs. Now add warm milk and mix into a semi soft dough. Add warm water too a little a time if required. Cover and rest for 30 mins

For the filling : 

• Finely chop the pitted dates , add the almond meal and rest aside. Dry roast poppy seeds for 30-45 seconds and once they start spluttering, remove to a plate. Once cool, add the cardamom powder, poppy seeds to the dates mixture. Mix well. It should get to a homogeneous slightly sticky filling. 

To make:

1. Pinch out a small ball of the dough, roll into a thin round sheet, place this disc on to the karanji / gujiya mould and place a filling in one of the half moon shaped dimples.
2. apply little water all around the disc and gently close the disc. 
3. scrimp the edges with fork and gently make 1-2 holes for air to escape while baking 
4. pre heat oven to 180 deg C.  Make all gujiyas thus. 
5. Place in a lined baking sheet and lightly brush them with 1 tablespoon of oil. 
6. Bake at 165 C for 8-9 mins, flip them over and again bake them at 160 for 4-5 mins till they are golden brown, I grilled them for last 1 mins to get a golden finish.
7. (Oven timings may vary, so keep a watch on them to avoid them getting burnt).