Khaja is a traditional sweet dish from the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is layered deep fried sweet discs. It is called by different names as Khaja, Kaja, Tapeshwara Khaja or Madatha Khaja.

It is believed to have originated  from the Eastern  parts of the former Oudh  and the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. This represents eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh and western districts of Bihar. It is also popular in the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

Khaja is a layered sweet from all purpose flour, usually filled with a stuffing of dry fruits, deep fried and dunked in sugar syrup. This is offered as prasadam in Jagganath temple at Puri.

I have been making this during festivals and is one of the favourites at home.

A few other festive treats from the blog:

• Kadabu
• Sweet Pongal
• Kheer
• Shenga Holige
• Carrot Halwa with condensed milk

Khaja, Tapeshwaram Khaja

Ingredients:

For the dough

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon  ghee
• 2 tablespoon milk
• salt a pinch
• water
• oil for frying

For the stuffing:

• 2 tablespoon rice flour
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 2 tablespoon cashewnuts and almonds grated

For the sugar syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• a few strands of saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

•  Sieve the flour, there should be no lumps in it.
• Add ghee, milk, salt to it and mix well.
• Add little water and mix into a dough.
• Cover the dough and keep it aside.

For the filling:

• Grate the dry fruits and keep them aside.
• Mix rice flour, rub the ghee in it and put the dry fruits to it.
• Keep it aside.

To make the  sugar syrup:

• Mix sugar and water in a thick bottom vessel and cook on a low flame for five to seven minutes. Put the cardamom powder and saffron strands to it, it gives a good aroma.

To make the khajas:

• Take a big ball of the dough and roll into a thin sheet.
• Spread the prepared filling over it.
• Fold it into layers tightly. Cut into discs.
• Take each disc and press it lightly or roll with a pin.
• Heat oil in a pan, put the discs and deep fry till golden in colour.
• Put them in the sugar syrup for two minutes and then remove and keep aside.

Khaja, Tapeshwaram Khaja

Print Pin

Khaja | Kaja | Tapeshwaram Khaja | Madath Khaja

Khaja is a traditional sweet pastry from the Indian sub-continent. It is a layered deep fried sweet with a filling of nuts that is deep fried. 

Course festive treats, sweets, traditional sweets

Cuisine Andhra pradesh, Indian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 20 pieces

Author Jayashree

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 cup all purpose flour, maida
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 2 tablespoon milk
• salt a pinch
• water
• oil for frying

For the filling

• 2 tablespoon rice flour
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 2 tablespoon cashew and almond grated

For the sugar syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• a few strands saffron
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Instructions

• Sieve the flour, there should be no lumps.
• Add milk, ghee and salt to it. Mix it well. 
• Use little water and knead the dough. It should be of thick consistency. Cover with a thin cloth and keep it aside. 
• Mix sugar and water in a thick bottom pan and keep it to boil, put the saffron strands and cardamom powder for a good aroma. Boil it for seven minutes, you should get a string consistency. 
• Grate the cashew and almonds. Mix the ghee and rice flour together, add the grated nuts to it. This is the filling. 
• To make khajas: Take a ball of the dough, roll into a thin sheet. Spread the filling over it. Roll it tightly, cut it  into discs. 
• Take each disc, you can either flatten it with your palm or roll it lightly. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Put a few rolled discs in it and deep fry until golden in colour. Remove them on a tissue paper and repeat the same for all the discs.
• Put the fried discs in sugar syrup for two minutes, remove and keep them aside. 
• Khaja is ready to serve.

Notes

Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot, deep fry on medium heat. Frying on high heat will not cook it properly from inside. 

A few other sweets from my co-bloggers

• Meethi Khajali
• Dharwad peda
• Mysore Pak
• Chirote
• Satpura
• Shrikhand wadi

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