What is Saffron use for?
Saffron, in Hindi is known as Kesar and in Urdu it’s Zafran. It is my most beloved spice, and I use it freely in my cooking whenever I get a chance to use it. As much as I love saffron in my desserts, I love it in savoury dishes too. Either it’s my Saffron and Asparagus Pasta, Vegan Carrot Soup with Saffron Vinaigrette or Mande Roti. Saffron makes it way through almost every of my Indian sweets (Mithai), out of many I love Kesar Malai Peda and Vegan Kesar Badam katli. Because I am so obsessed with saffron, a few of my baking goodies are made with saffron too – Saffron Buns Since this recipe was on to do my list for a long time, I grabbed an opportunity to make at home, but with Saffron. Usually, Khaja is made without saffron or any kind of nuts. This recipe turned out exceptionally well and the saffron flavours made it tastier and richer in taste and look.
What is Khaja?
Khaja is a traditional and old age sweet dish of India and usually prepared during festival times such as Diwali, Holi or during a month of Ramadan and also offering as Prasad in many temples. It is a layered deep-fried pastry that is prepared with very basic ingredients like plain flour and ghee then dipped in sugar syrup. Although Khaja is prepared all over India, every region has their own version of it and method of making various town to town and called with different names. Such as Chirote Khaja in Maharashtra (In Gujarat you can find round shape Chirote Khaja) wherein South India you can find Madatha Khaja which are diamond shape. In Gujarat on the festival of Naag Panchami ( which comes around in August), it’s a custom to eat Khaja.
What goes in Kesar Khaja?
How to store Khaja?
To keep fresh and crispy allow khaja to be cooled down completely before storing them in an airtight container. Do not store Khaja in the refrigerator.
How to make Kesar Khaja step by step pictures.
Recipe card below with proper measurements and both methods. #Method 2
- Knead the dough using plain flour, ghee (leave some to make the paste) salt and saffron, leave it aside for half an hour.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal parts and make balls.
- Make a paste by mixing rice flour and ghee.
- Roll out each ball into a very thin circle using a rolling pin.
- Apply paste with the pastry brush on the first rolled circle, then place another sheet on top of the first circle, apply paste again. Repeat this method until you have placed five sheets on top of each other and pasted with the rice flour + ghee paste.
- Gently roll the pastry into a tight log and cut it with a sharp knife.
- Very lightly press the cut pieces with your finger.
- Heat oil or ghee and fry on a low heat until light brown.
- Make sugar syrup by mixing sugar and water, make one thread chasni.
- Add fried khaja into the chasni, leave it for a couple of minutes to soak, remove and garnish it with vark or nuts if you like. Leftover chasni, don’t know what to do with it? Check out my Kala Jamun post, see the section Kala Gulab Jamun Sugar Syrup.
More Traditional Indian Sweets Recipes
- Shakkarpara 2. Meethi Khajali 3. Gujarati Churma Ladoo
