PISTA KHAJA

Mithai khaja is a traditional sweet made with maida and ghee, sometimes stuffed with khoya or dry fruits, deep fried in ghee and then dunked into a fragrant saffron-flavoured sugar syrup. There are different kinds of khaja - depending on the stuffing. There's malai khaja, mawa khaja, pista khaja etc.


Makes 8.

Ingredients

32 thin samosa pattis cut into 3" x 2 ½" pieces

For the filling

¾ cup pistachios, blanched; ¼ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

For the sugar syrup

½ cup sugar, a few strands saffron, ¼ teaspoon lemon juice

Other ingredients

oil for deep frying paste of 1 tablespoon plain flour (maida) mixed with 2 tablespoon water

For the filling

1. Peel and dry the pistachios on a tea towel. 2. Grind the sugar and pistachios in a blender coarsely. 3. Place this mixture in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water and heat over a gentle flame till the mixture is cooked and leaves the sides of the pan. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. 4. Cool and divide the mixture into 8 equal parts.

For the sugar syrup

1. Dissolve the sugar with half a cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of 1-string consistency. 2. Add the saffron and lemon juice and mix. 3. Remove from the fire and keep warm.

How to proceed

1. Place a portion of the pistachio filling in the centre of one samosa patti. 2. Apply the flour paste on the samosa patti around the filling, taking care to leave the edges dry, so that the layers separate while the khaja is being fried. 3. Place another samosa patti on top and press gently around the filling in order to stick the two pattis together. Apply a little flour paste in the centre of the stuffed khaja and stick another samosa patti. Turn it around and stick one more patti on 4. Deep fry in hot oil until golden in colour. Drain on absorbent paper. 5. Transfer the khajas into the warm sugar syrup. Drain on a metal rack to allow the excess syrup to drain.