Khaza or Khaja (Madak Sanboli) .

• Servings: 
• Preparation time: 10 minutes.
• Rolling time: 15 minutes.
• Frying time: 12-15 minutes(each batch).
• Making syrup time: 5-6 minutes.
• Spreading sugar syrup time: 1-2 minutes.
• Total time: 48 minutes. 

“Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav” Independence day eagerly awaited and we are going to celebrate this festival with “Har Ghar Tiranga” with great zeal across the country. The tricolour will not be only in our houses but always it is in our hearts too. Since ancient days good food and drinks are an integral part of festival. 

On the occasion; I would like to share a tempting recipe of sweets which is known all over India. In southern India it is called “Madak Sanboli or Madakku Sanboli” and in Northern India it is “Khaza or Khaja”.

For me it is so tasty, like a very interesting novel can’t put down or a television show can’t  turn off.

Actually am addictive, whenever I prepare this recipe immediately I start to crave for this delicious sugary recipe. Although I know this soul achieving food is not so good for health but  still fact is that it provides good amount of energy.

 Ingredients:

• Refined wheat flour(Maida): 500gm.
• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon
• Butter: 80 gm.
• Sugar: 200 gm.
• Water: half cup
• Ghee(Clarified butter)/ Cooking Oil: for deep frying.
• Green Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon 
• Saffron: 1 pinch

Preparation:

1. In a big mixing bowl; add flour, salt, turmeric, mix well. Add water to make a smooth and firm dough, keep aside for at least 10-15 minutes.

Make paste for layering: 

1. Take a small frypan on low flame; add butter and 2 tablespoon flour, stir fry for couple of minutes, add half cup of milk. Continue to cook for a minute and paste is ready, keep aside.
2. Divide the dough into three equal parts, make three balls.
3. Take one ball roll into big sheet as big as you can (you can use your kitchen platform to make big sheet) as shown in photo.
4. Smear the paste all over the sheet.
5. Cut the sheet from all sides make rectangular shape, cut pieces to be arranged in layers as shown in photo. 
6. Roll the sheet with cut pieces together tightly to resemble a log, see photo…
7. Cut this log into 1” equal sizes. Roll each piece vertically as thick roti, see photo.
8. Do it for all three balls. Keep aside.

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a fry pan on medium flame (to check if it is ready, put a little piece of dough in the oil it should come up slowly). Deep fry it on medium to low heat. 
2. Note: if it is fried on high temperature, it will become soft (not crispy).
3. After it starts to puff, turn over, fry till it becomes golden brown from both sides. Take it out and allow cooling.
4. In the mean time prepare sugar syrup:
5. Take a large pan, put sugar and water, bring it to boil, after two minutes of boiling add saffron and cardamom powder, further boil for 3-4 minutes or until get 2 sting consistency, remove from heat,
6. Spread sugar syrup  all over fried khaja, so that a thin layer of sugar coat appears, let it cool completely.
7. Now “Khaja/khaza” is ready; garnish with almond, Pistachio slices and saffron threads.Store in air tight container  for 2-3 weeks.

Khaza or Khaja (Madak Sanboli) . by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.