Sweet Somas, one of the traditional sweets from South India and it's extensively prepared for Diwali and other festive occasions. Somas is a deep fried sweet with crispy outside made from all purpose flour and sweet filling inside. There are different types of fillings used in this sweet depending on the region where it originated. Therefore, it's also known by the name karchikai, karanji or somasi in other parts of India. Traditionally, In Tamilnadu, a mixture of sweetened & powdered fried gram dal and coconut is used for the inside filling.
Procedure
Are Gujiya / Somas /Chandrakala are the same ?
To my knowledge ,they are more or less the same in a way that they are prepared. In Gujiya, mostly sweetened khoya /rava is used as filling. Somas is a tamilnadu version of Gujiya with a mixture of sweetened fried gram dal and coconut as filling. Chandrakala is also similar to Gujiya, it got its name because of its shape and mostly chandrakalas is dipped in sugar syrup before serving.
How long Somas last at room temperature ?
It stays well for a week or up to 10 days at room temperature. Unlike gujiya, in somsa, the fillings are mostly dried, so it stays really well for days !!
Why do my somas become soft after a few days?
This is the most common problem that many people face while making somas. To keep them crispy for longer time , there are few things need to be taken care of
- The outer layer should be thin for crispy somas. So take time and roll as thin as possible
- The fillings should be completely dry without any moisture. If you're using fresh coconut in this recipe(actually it's the traditional way) make sure to roast them well until it turns reddish brown.
- Once they are completely cooled, store them in airtight container and use dry hands when serving.
All these steps would help to keep them crispy for weeks or until the final one lasts in the batch :-)
Any other tips for beginners?
- Make sure to seal the edges properly otherwise all the fillings would mix with the oil.
- Applying some water over the edges helps to seal them well and if you have somas cutter use it for some fancy edges.
- Though the recipe is simple, it really takes a lot of time for rolling and shaping them. A helping hand would be useful for this recipe
Hope I have answered most of the FAQs !! Now it's time to check out on how to make these traditional somas !!!
Sweet Somas recipe| Karchikai | Karanji
Preparation Time : 1 hr | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 16
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
For Outer layer
Maida/All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
Rava/Semolina - 1 tbsp
Salt - a pinch
Ghee - 1 tsp
Water - as needed
For inner filling
Pottukadalai/Fried gram dal -1/4 cup
Unsweeted coconut flakes - 1/4 cup
Sugar -1/2 cup
Cardamon - 3
Oil - for frying
Procedure
First let's make an outer layer. Add all the ingredients listed under "For Outer layer" except water in a bowl, mix it well and then add water little by little and make a stiff dough like poori dough.
Cover the dough with damp cloth and let it rest aside for 30 mins. Next let's make the inner filling. Add all the ingredients listed under "For inner filling " in a mixie jar.
Grind into fine powder and transfer into a bowl. Next take the dough, roll it as a log and cut into 16 pieces.
Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Take a dough ball at a time and roll it into a thin disc using a rolling pin. 
Add about 1/2 tbsp of filling in the dough. Brush the sides with some water and stick the edges together as shown in pic below. If you wish you can fold the edges as shown below.
Do the same for all the dough and filling. Heat the oil for frying, once the oil is heated(add a pinch of dough into oil, if it comes up immediately, then the oil is ready) add a few somas at a time.
Cook it on medium flame till they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove from the oil and place it on tissue paper. 
Once it's completely cooled, put it in airtight container. Tasty and crispy Sweet Somas is ready. For more diwali sweets and snacks, check out my diwali collections
Cover the dough with damp cloth and let it rest aside for 30 mins. Next let's make the inner filling. Add all the ingredients listed under "For inner filling " in a mixie jar.
Grind into fine powder and transfer into a bowl. Next take the dough, roll it as a log and cut into 16 pieces.
Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Take a dough ball at a time and roll it into a thin disc using a rolling pin. 
Add about 1/2 tbsp of filling in the dough. Brush the sides with some water and stick the edges together as shown in pic below. If you wish you can fold the edges as shown below.
Do the same for all the dough and filling. Heat the oil for frying, once the oil is heated(add a pinch of dough into oil, if it comes up immediately, then the oil is ready) add a few somas at a time.
Cook it on medium flame till they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove from the oil and place it on tissue paper. 
Once it's completely cooled, put it in airtight container. Tasty and crispy Sweet Somas is ready. For more diwali sweets and snacks, check out my diwali collections
Notes:
- Use any flavorless oil for deep frying.
- In this recipe, i have made them as mini. It's time consuming so you can make them as bigger size also
- The filling tastes good as it is, so if there is any leftover filling, it can be served as it is as after lunch sweet !!
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