Khaja

2022-05-25T12:29:55Z

2409:4050:2D1F:FA95:0:0:E4C8:B604:

{{Short description|Indian pastry}}{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Khaja
| image = Baleswari khaja pheni Oriya cuisine.jpg
| country = [[India]] & [[Nepal]]
| region = [[Bihar]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Odisha]], [[Kakinada]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]],Southern area of Nepal ([[Birgunj]], [[Janakpur]], [[Biratnagar]])
| creator =
| course =
| served =
| main_ingredient = [[Wheat flour]], [[sugar]], [[Cooking oil]]
| variations = [[Kakinada khaja]], [[Tapeswaram]] Khaja, [[Pipra। Pipra]] Khaja
| calories =
| other =
}}

'''Khaja''' is an Indian deep-fried pastry, commonly filled with fruit or soaked with sugar syrup.

== History ==

Khajjaka, plain or sweet mentioned in [[Manasollasa]], was a wheat flour preparation fried in ghee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/IndianFoodTraditionAHistoricalCompanionAchayaK.T./Indian%20Food%20Tradition%20A%20Historical%20Companion%20Achaya%20K.T._djvu.txt|title=Full text of "Indian Food Tradition A Historical Companion Achaya K. T."|website=archive.org|access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> Khaja is believed to have originated from the eastern parts of the former state of [[Oudh]] and the former United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. This area presently corresponds to eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh and Western districts of Bihar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oneindia.com/2008/02/10/centuries-khaja-sweets-popular-mouthwatering-delicacy-bihar-1202639400.html|title = Centuries old Khaja sweets, the popular mouthwatering delicacy of Bihar|date = 10 February 2008}}</ref> and is also native to state of [[Odisha]]<ref name="MohantyPatnaik">{{cite book|author1=Gopinath Mohanty|author2=Jeeban Kumar Patnaik|author3=Santosha Kumāra Ratha |title=Cultural heritage of [Orissa]|year=2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GBVuAAAAMAAJ |publisher=State Level Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Smruti Samsad}}</ref><ref name="Orissa Review 1990">{{cite book|title=Orissa Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gxDAAAAYAAJ|year=1990|publisher=Home Department, Government of Orissa}}</ref> as well as regions like [[Kutch]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Refined wheat flour with sugar is made into layered dough, with or without dry fruit or other stuffing, and lightly fried in oil to make khaja.<ref name="ReferenceA">Elizabeth Fernandez, Sugar and spice and all things nice, {{ISBN|978-1409287223}}</ref> It is one of the famous sweets of Odisha and is related to emotions of all Odia people. It is also offered as an [[bhog|offering]] in the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri]].<ref name="Orissa Review 1990" />

Khajas from [[Silao, Nalanda|Silao]] and [[Rajgir]] in Bihar are almost entirely similar to [[baklava]], whereas the ones from [[Odisha]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] are made with thicker pastry sheets, and are generally hard.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Chitrita Banerji, Eating India: An Odyssey into the Food and Culture of the Land of Spices, {{ISBN|978-1596910188}}</ref> The batter is prepared from wheat flour, mawa and oil. It is then deep fried until crisp, before being soaked in a sugar syrup known as ''Paga'', the pastry absorbing the syrup. Khaja served in of Kakinada, a coastal town of Andhra Pradesh, are served dry on the outside and soaked with sugar syrup on the inside.

Khaja Mithai in Nepal are popular in the Maithali and Bhojpuri communities. This sweet is part of ''[[chhat puja]]'' celebrations in Nepal.

==See also==
*[[Kakinada khaja]]
*[[Indian sweets]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Bihari cuisine]]
[[Category:Odia cuisine]]
[[Category:Kutchi cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian pastries]]

{{dessert-stub}}

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Khaja