Crispy Khaja Odisha Style

 khaja  is a Crispy sweet Dessert From Odisha. It's a Layered fritter dipped  in Sugar Syrup. It is part of Chappan Bhoga that offered in Puri Jagannath Temple.

Ingredients:-

Ingredients For Layered :-

•  All Purpose Flour (Maida)  - 3cups , + 2 tablespoon
• Cooking Soda - 1 pinch
•  Ghee - 2tbsp , + 2 tablespoon, melted
•  Cardamom Powder (Elaichi) - 2tbsp
•  Black pepper powder  - 2tbsp, freshly powdered (optional)
• Cooking oil for deep fry

Ingredients for Syrup:-

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Water

How to make Khaja Recipe (Layered Fritters Dipped In Sugar Syrup):-

• To prepare Khaja recipe, in a bowl, add the flour, melted ghee ,Cooking soda and mix well. Add cold water to make a smooth dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
• Make a paste mixing 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour to make a flour paste.
• Divide the dough into eight equal parts. Take a ball and roll into circle shape sheet. Roll another one similarly.
• Smear the prepared flour paste on one sheet and place another on top of it. Spread the flour paste on top of the second sheet and roll both the sheets together tightly to resemble a log.
• Cut this flour log into equal sized pieces of 1 inch each. Roll each piece vertically.
• Heat enough oil in Deep fry pan, fry them in batches, on a medium flame until they turn golden brown on both sides. Cool them completely.
• In the meantime, prepare sugar syrup adding 2 cups sugar in 1 cup water in a Saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and cook till it becomes sticky.
• Add cardamom powder and black pepper to it. This addition of spices is purely optional. Switch off flame.
• Grease a large plate with some butter or ghee.
• Dip the fried khaja into the syrup hence prepared, when the syrup is still warm. Immediately take the well-coated khajas onto the greased plate.
• Serve Khaja at room temperature. You could also serve them when still warm. This Khaja recipe can be stored in an air-tight container up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

Shahi Tukda

Ingredients :-

• 6 Milk Bread
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 ltr Full fat milk (to make rabdi)
• 100 grms Khova or mawa
• 4 tbsp Ghee
• A pinch of saffron
• 2-3 Cardamom pods
• Slivered Pistachio and Almond for Garnish
• Water as needed

Method :-

To cook rabdi for shahi tukda

• First, add milk to heavy bottom pan and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the flame and simmer until it is reduced to half.
• Then add saffron, sugar,khova,cardamom powder keep simmering the rabdi until desired consistency.
• Then switch off the flame and keep aside.

To make sugar syrup

• To make syrup, add sugar and water in pan and bring it to boil. Once it starts boiling add saffron and cardamom pods, simmer for another 5 minutes.

Preparation of Shahi Tukda

• Snip off the edges of the bread and cut into triangles.
• Heat ghee in pan and add cut bread slices,fry the bread slices from both the side with medium flame, until golden and crisp from both the sides.
• Now dip the fried bread slices in warm sugar syrup for 30 seconds.
• Then Keep the soaked bread slices in to a serving plate and topped it with thick rabdi . Garnish with nuts and serve.

Rava/Semolina Cake

Ingredients:-

• Semolina (Thin Rava) - 1 cup
• Sugar Powder -1/2 cup
• Baking soda - 1/2 tbsp
• Baking powder -1 tbsp
• Curd - 1/2 cup
• Milk -1/2 cup
• Oil/Butter - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence -1tbsp
• Salt a pinch

Method :-

• Take a big bowl add , Thin rava/Semolina, add 1/2cup of sugar powder,baking soda and baking powder,salt a pinch then mix all together nicely.
• Then add oil/Butter mix it properly .
• Bow add the vanilla essence and curd into the semolina and mix nicely. It should be lumps free,then cover the bowl and rest for 15 minutes.
• Pre heat the oven 15 minutes with 210C°
• After 15 minutes add the milk slowly into the semolina mixture and again mix it nicely to make the batter consistency properly.
• Then grace the baking tray with oil and little Maida,then pour the Semolina/Rava mixture into to it .
• Now bake the cake for 40 minutes with 210 C°.
• After 40 minutes put a toothpick and check it, once it came out without sticking then take out from oven and let it cool down.
• Then remove the cake from baking tray ,cut it into pieces and serve it.

Sweet Boondi

Ingredients:-

• Besan/Gram Flour - 1 cup
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water -1/2 cup
• Broken cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
• Melon seeds - 1tbsp
• Green Cardamom powder - 1 tbsp
• Kesar/ orange food color - 1 pinch
• Cooking oil to fry

Method :-

• Take gram flour in a bowl add 1 tbsp of oil into it       then add water mix well to make a smooth batter.

• It should be smooth and little thin than bajji batter     and keep it aside.

• 2 Slotted ladles are needed. One for making boondi and another for draining boondi from oil.

• Heat oil for deep frying,Oil should be moderately hot.

• To test, drop a pea size batter in the oil, batter should rise immediately without changing color which means oil is ready for frying boondis.

• Now hold one slotted ladle just over oil (neither too low nor too high). Use another deep ladle to pour batter over slotted ladle. 

• Pour one ladle full of batter over the slotted ladle and spread in a circular motion by the back of the deep ladle. The batter will fall drop by drop.

• Fry them till little crispy. Drain and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

• Repeat the process with rest of the batter.

• Then make sugar syrup from 1cup sugar & 1/2 cup water of 1 string consistency by bringing it to boil. 

• Then add in cardamom powder,cashews, melon seeds,one pinch of food color and mix well to make syrup.

• Add the fried yellow boondis into the syrup. Gently toss them and mix till boondis are well coated in sugar syrup.

• Then switch off the flame . Let this set for 1 hours until the sugar syrup is completely absorbed by Sweet Boondi .

• Now it's ready to eat .

Rasgolla/Pahala Rasgolla

Ingredients : -

•  2 Liter of full cream milk (you can make 10 to 15 medium size rasgollas)

• Lime juice - 3 to 4 table spoon or you can use 2 to 3 tablespoon of vinegar.

• Plain Flour (Maida) – 2 tablespoon

• Sugar – 1 tablespoon

• Muslin cloth or Fine strainer

For the Sugar Syrup :

• Water – 6 Cups

•  Sugar –  1 1/2 cup

• Cardamom power (Eli chi) – 1 teaspoon

Method:-

For the Golla's :

•  Heat the Milk in a Deep bottomed pan and let it be boiling.

• Add the lime juice or vinegar slowly to curdle the milk, and leave it for 5 minutes in lowest flame.

• Once the milk is fully converted to cheese and the cheese separate from water switch off the Gas stove.

• Now place the muslin cloth on a strainer and slowly drain the water.

• Rap the cheese in the muslin cloth and keep it under the cool running water for 5 minutes. (This will remove any smell of lime).

• Tie the ends of the cloth and hang for half an hour in a large bowl start kneading the cheese.

• Nicely squeeze the muslin cloth and drain the water in to the cheese.

• Now the cheese put it in the plate, add the flour (Maida) and sugar and    knead for 5-10 mints till the dough is soft and smooth.

• Make it small small equal sized round balls.( make sure the balls are crack free)

For the Syrup and the Rasgolla:

• Heat a pan add 2tbsp of sugar and caremol it with high flame,once it turn brown in color add 1 cup of water and switch off the flame.
• Add same water with water and add rest of sugar in a wide mouth container .

• Add the Cardamom powder after the water starts boiling and the sugar is dissolved.

• Know add the cheese balls one by one at a time.

• Cover the pot and cook on lowest flame about 40-45 mints.

• Remove the lid and take the pan off heat and let it sit for 5 mints.

• Now it’s ready to eat, serve warm

Can be refrigerated up to 5 days an airtight container.    

Rasmalai

Ingredients :-

For Making the Chenna

• Milk -1 ltr
• Vinegar - 3 tbsp

For making the malai 

• Milk -1ltr
• Sugar -1 cup
• Cardamom Powder -1 tbsp
• Rose water - 1tbsp
• Saffron/kesar - 1 tbsp
• Pistachio(thin sliced) - 5-6 nobs

For Sugar Syrup 

• Water - 5 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup

Method :-

Rasmalai Balls

• Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan.Once it comes to a boil, switch off the flame and add 1/2 cup of water to bring the temperature of the milk down a bit.

• Wait for 5-10 minutes and then start adding Vinegar till milk curdles.

• Add Vinegar till the milk curdles completely.

• Using a strainer drain the water and collect the chena.

• Rinse it under tap water so that there's no trace of vinegar in it.

• Leave it in the strainer for 10-15 minutes and then take the chena in your hand and squeeze out remaining water slowly.

• Add cornflour and start mashing the chena till it’s smooth.

• Set the clock to 10 minutes and mash constantly for 10 minutes using your palm. Once it’s smooth, make small balls out of it.

• Heat 1 cup sugar and 5 cups water in a wide pan and wait till it comes to a full boil.

• Drop the balls in boiling sugar syrup and cook for 15-17 minutes. The balls will double in size by then.

• Take out the balls from the syrup and drop them in fresh water. If they sink to the bottom, the balls are done.

Thickened Milk/Thick Malai

• In a heavy bottom pan, boil 1ltr of milk.

• Soak few strands of saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk and set aside.

• Once the milk comes to a boil, lower the flame and continue to stir the milk at regular intervals. After 10 minutes add sugar and mix.

• After 20-25 minutes the milk will thicken to desired consistency, add soaked saffron and crushed cardamom.

• Also add finely chopped pistachios [if using]. Mix and switch off the flame.

• Take out the cooled rasmalai balls from the sugar syrup, squeeze and flatten with your hands.

• Transfer the balls to thickened milk [milk should be warm].

• Chill in the refrigerator overnight or for 5-6 hours. Garnish with chopped pistachios and few saffron strands before serving.
• Then serve the yummy chilled Rasmalai and enjoy. 

Instant Jalebi

Crispy Crunchy Juicy Jalebi

Ingredients :-

• Maida - 1 cup
• Curd -1cup
• Baking Soda -1/2 tbsp
• Sugar -1 cup
• Water -1 cup
• Kesar Food Colour -1/2 tbsp
• Oil/Ghee - 1 Cup
• Cardamom  Powder -1/2 tbsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Method :-

• Take a big bowl add Maida,baking powder, food colour and mix it well.
• Then add 1 cup of Curd into it and mix it slowly,then add water  slowly and adjust the consistency, to make a smooth batter without lumps.Then keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• In the mean while we have to make sugar syrup;
• Take a pan add 1 cup of water with 1cup of sugar and boil it nicely.
• Now add 1/2 tbsp of cardamom powder and mix it.
• Sugar Syrup consistency should be close to 1 string,then switch off the flame adding with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and keep it aside.
• Now fill the batter in to a sauce bottle/cone pipping and keep it aside.
• Now add oil/ghee in a pan and switch on the flame.
• Once oil became hot,start making jalebi in circular motion,cook it medium flame on each side till it becomes crispy.
• Then remove it from oil and put it immediately in warm sugar syrup and dip it for 10-20 secs and take out immediately.
• Jalebi is ready to eat, so garnish with chopped pista and serve hot crispy juicy Jalebi to eat and enjoy it.

Rasgulla

Rasgulla

Ingredients :-

• Full cream milk - 1 liter
• Vinegar - 2  tsp
• Semolina - 1 tsp
• All purpose Flour - 1 tsp
• Water - 4 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Cardamom Powder - 1 tbsp
• Saffron - 1 pinch for garnishing(optional)

Method :-

• Turn on the flame and put the milk on a pan and lets boil.once it start boiling add the vinegar and stir it slowly,boil it for few minute .
• Turn off the flame and drain the water using a cotton cloth,and squeeze it nicely and hang it for 2 hours till the water came out.
• After 2 hours switch on the flame and put a pan adding with sugar and water,then let it boil .
• Now take out the chenna  in to a plate and knead it with your palm very nicely after that add semolina and Maida into it then and mix it well,then knead the Chenna for 10 mints continuously and make the dough.
• Now take small portion of chenna and roll it then give it small ball shapes(make sure there are no crack in the ball) and keep it aside.
• check the sugar syrup,let the sugar dissolved completely then add the cardamom powder and stir it for some time.
• Then add the chenna balls carefully into the sugar syrup then cover the lid and cook it for 10 mints on high flame.
• in between open the lid and flip the Rasgulla gently and again cook it for another 7-8 mints with medium flame,flip it in between also.
• After 15 mints our Rasgullas are ready so turn off the flame and let it cool down completely.
• Now Transfer the Rasgullas into a bowl with  sugar syrup and serve, lets enjoy the mouth watering soft Rasgull's.
• For better result you can leave it for 4-5 hours then eat it.(do not keep it in refrigerator )

Eggless Semolina Cake

Ingredients:-

• Semolina - 1cup
• All purpose flour/maida - 1cup
• Baking soda - 1tbsp
• Baking powder - 1tbsp 
• Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1/2 cup
• Powdered sugar - 1cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tbsp 
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Casew nut  - 1/2 cup(chopped)

Methods:-

• Grease a cake try and keep it aside. Pre heat the oven at 200 degrees celcious for 10 minutes.
• Take one bowl and put the semolina, all purpose flour,baking soda,baking powder together and keep it aside.
• Take another bowl and put the yogurt,oil and powdered sugar and mix well till the sugar dissolves.
• Then add cardamom powder and milk and mix well.
• Add dry ingredients in to the semolina mixture and chopped cashew nut and mix it properly. Mix well till a soft dropping consistency is reached.
• Know the cake mixture is ready.
• Pour into it to the greased baking tray and bake it at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes in a preheated oven.
• After 30 minutes remove the cake from the oven and check it is cooked from the inside.
• Allow the cake to cool before take it of the tray.
• Know cut into pieces and serve.