Khajaखाजा
Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)
Khaja is a crisp, layered pastry with roots stretching back centuries through Bihar and coastal Andhra Pradesh, where it goes by the name Madatha Kaja. Made by rolling ghee or oil into thin sheets of maida dough, folding them repeatedly to build delicate flaky layers, deep-frying until shatteringly golden, and then soaking in a thin sugar syrup, the result is simultaneously crisp and soaked — a paradox that explains why people cannot stop at one. In Bihar it appears at weddings and Chhath Puja; in Andhra the Kakinada version is so prized it has a GI tag.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
Finding Desi spots near Plano…
Ingredients
- ▪maida (plain white flour / all-purpose flour)2 cups
- ▪fine semolina (sooji/rava), for a slight crunch2 tbsp
- ▪ghee or neutral oil, for the laminating paste (moyan)3 tbsp
- ▪water, cold6-7 tbsp
- ▪oil, for deep-fryingfor frying
- For the sugar syrup
- ▪white sugar1.5 cups
- ▪water3/4 cup
- ▪green cardamom pods, lightly crushed4
- ▪lemon juice or a pinch of citric acid (to prevent crystallisation)1 tsp
- Maida (fine plain flour) is available at any South Asian or international grocery store abroad. Ordinary all-purpose flour (not bread flour or self-raising) is a direct substitute — sift it once to aerate.
- Ghee can be made at home by simmering unsalted butter until the milk solids separate and are skimmed off, or bought at Indian grocers and Costco/Whole Foods in North America. For a dairy-free version, refined coconut oil or Crisco-style shortening makes effective laminating layers.
- A candy thermometer removes guesswork from the syrup stage. If you do not have one, the one-thread test works: dip a dry spoon into the syrup, let it cool for a moment, then press a drop between your thumb and finger — it should draw out into a single thin thread before breaking.
Method
- 1Mix the maida and semolina. Rub in 1 tablespoon of ghee until the flour resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add cold water tablespoon by tablespoon and knead into a firm, smooth dough — firmer than chapati dough. Rest covered for 20 minutes.
- 2Make the laminating paste: melt 2 tablespoons of ghee and whisk it with 2 tablespoons of maida into a thick, spreadable paste.
- 3Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll one ball into a thin rectangle roughly 20 x 30 cm. Spread a thin layer of the laminating paste all over the surface.
- 4Roll the sheet tightly from one of the short ends into a log. Cut the log into 2 cm discs. Stand each disc on its cut edge and gently press it flat with your palm, then re-roll into a small oval about 5 mm thick. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- 5Make the syrup: combine sugar and water with cardamom in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring until you reach a one-thread consistency (about 107°C). Add lemon juice, stir once, and keep warm on the lowest heat.
- 6Heat oil in a kadai or deep pan to 160°C — low and steady. Fry the khaja pieces in batches for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they turn a pale golden and feel firm and dry. They must not be rushed; high heat will crisp the outside before the layers cook through.
- 7Lift with a slotted spoon, let the oil drain for 30 seconds, then immediately drop them into the warm syrup. Let them soak for 2-3 minutes, turning once.
- 8Remove to a wire rack or plate and allow to cool completely and set — at least 30 minutes. The surface will crystallise lightly. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.