Sweet somas recipe | Diwali sweets recipes - Raks Kitchen (2024)

Sweet somas is an extremely addictive snack with perfect balanced sweet stuffing inside a crisp outer layer. Let's see how to make it perfectly with stepwise images.

Sweet somas is mainly made as snack anytime throughout the year. But it can also be made for festivals like Diwali or other special occasions.

Check out my gujiya recipe and chocolate layer burfi recipe in this website.

About

Sweet somas is also known as somasi and karjikai in some region. Called as simply somas, is a deep-fried sweet pastry, crispy on outside, filled with sweet stuffing made up of coconut, fried gram dal and sugar as main ingredient.

This is our family favourite. My MIL and mom makes it for every Diwali. My MIL makes a simpler version for the outer cover.

Though most of the recipes has rava in it, this one is simple only with Maida. For crispiness she adds one spoon of corn flour.

I have made only once before this, that time with rava, long time back. This time, when I checked the recipe with my MIL she told this simpler version which never fails to keep it crisp.

And it was till yesterday after a week I made this. Aj first time eating this and he loved it very much. Of course he should! After all its the family favourite and he is no exception.

Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients needed to make somas. Check my recipe card for full list and quantities.

• All purpose flour - Maida - For outer layer, we make a tight dough using flour.
• Corn flour - Corn starch - just for crispness.
• Pottukadalai - Also known as fried gram dal - Daria dal - chutney dal.
• Sugar - sweetener for stuffing.
• Coconut - Not seen in the picture, you can use fresh or dry kopra or even dessicated coconut.
• Cardamom - adds a mild flavor

Check my recipe card for full list and quantities.

Stepwise images

Follow me making somas with these step-by-step instructions and pictures.

Prepare dough

1. Firstly, mix all purpose flour, corn flour, salt and oil well in a mixing bowl.

2. Then sprinkle water to make stiff dough. Needs only near ¼ cup water, so careful while adding water. Keep aside for at least 2 hours

Prepare stuffing

3. Roast coconut well firstly, until the moisture goes away and becomes dry. Cool this completely.

4. For stuffing, take pottukadalai (fried gram dal) in a mixie.

5. Grind coarsely resembling rava.(semolina/ sooji) Transfer to a mixing bowl.

6. After that, take sugar and cardamom in the mixie.

7. Then grind it to a fine powder. Transfer to the mixing bowl along ground pottukadalai.

8. Take powdered items, cooled coconut in the bowl.

9. Mix thoroughly and keep in a container. You can refrigerate and use it upto one month.

See Also

Besan ladoo recipe - Raks KitchenRed bean quesadilla recipe, quick version - Raks KitchenBoondi ladoo recipe, Boondi Laddu - Raks KitchenEggless chocolate chip muffins recipe - Raks Kitchen

Make somas

10. Now after 1 hour rest, knead the dough again to smoothen it.

11. Divide into equal sized balls,12 to 14 balls depending on how big you want the somas to be.

Fill and shape

12. After that, take one portion, smoothen it, dust and spread to palm size discs.

13. Keep the stuffing in one side and smear water in that side's edge.

14. After that, fold by covering the stuffing, seal well broadly.

15. Then, cut off the excess using a somas cutter/ ravioli cutter/ pizza cutter or simply knife. Make sure you cut in the sealed part, otherwise it will open up while frying.

16. Arrange in a plate neatly and keep covered with a clean kitchen towel.

Deep-fry

17. Heat oil and in low flame, add the somas (3-4 per batch). Let the oil be in low heat throughout. While taking out, you can increase the heat.

18. Flip and cook both sides patiently until the sound and bubbles reduce. Drain from oil and repeat to finish.

The key for crispy somas that stays crisp for days is, fry in low heat for long time so that there is no moisture.

Cool down completely and store in airtight container. Stays good upto 10 days in room temperature. The flavour that the pottukadalai, cardamom, sugar and coconut bursts along with the maida outer layer, when you bite is really awesome. You are going to love it!

Check out my other Diwali recipes.

Top tips

• For crispy results, the dough should be tight. Knead well to ensure smooth texture. Fry for long time in low flame.
• Cool down completely before storing. Store in an airtight container.

Shelf life

You can keep upto 10 days to 2 weeks at room temperature. Just make sure to use a good airtight container. Always use dry hands while handling. You can also keep in refrigerator, if you want to increase the shelf life. But keep it refrigerated from the beginning, not towards the ending of shelf life.

My notes

I heat the oil well, lower the flame and add somas. Cook in low heat and then while taking out, I put the flame to high again to regulate the oil temperature.

If the dough have too much of water and becomes loose, the texture after frying is not as crisp as expected.

In-case the dough is spread thick, it won't keep crisp if not fried properly.

Do not overstuff the somas. If the stuffing reaches the edge while sealing, it will also open up while frying.

While sealing do not use more water. Use very very less. Otherwise, when you press to seal, it will get stuck and while taking out, it gets sticky and opens up.

Substitutions & Variations

My mom and MIL adds 1 cup of sugar for this recipe stuffing ratio. This will give more sweet even if you stuff less.

You can use 50-50 maida wheat flour too for the outer layer.

Instead of fresh coconut, you can use dessicated coconut or kopra. Still make sure to roast it for nice aroma.

FAQs

Somas turns deep red in colour, why?

Oil temperature is too high. Extra water in dough.

The stuffing leaks in oil and turns oil cloudy, why?

Seal really well as well as broad. Most importantly, cut leaving a bit of sealed portion, not very close to the stuffing.

Recipe card