Malai Kaaja//300th Recipe 💐 😊

Malai kaaja

I’m so delighted that this is my 300 th post. Can’t believe that I’ve completed 300 recipes@Akshayakumbham in about two and half years. I wanted to celebrate this milestone with Nellore’s delicacy malai kaaja.

Nellore is famous for varieties of delicacies. I’ve already posted few Nellore specialities Potlakaya Pindimirium/Snake Gourd Stew, Drumstick Pindi Mirium, Minumula Chintapandu Pachadi/Blackgram Lentil Chutney. Today I’m posting another Nellore’s speciality malai kaaja. This is a popular sweet available in any sweet shop in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Traditionally this sweet is prepared with khoya/kova. But I’ve prepared malai kaaja several times with instant gulab jamun mix. Malai kaaja prepared with instant gulab jamun mix also have the similar taste. Dough is prepared with instant gulab jamun mix adding required amount of water. Sugar syrup is prepared adding cardamom powder and rose essence. Small balls are prepared from the kneaded dough. Rolled balls are gently pressed to get malai kaaja shape and then they are deep fried in oil/ghee mixture. Deep fried malai kaajas are soaked in sugar syrup for 25-30 minutes. After soaking for 30 minutes, malai kaajas are ready to serve without syrup. Here I present luscious and juicy malai kaaja to celebrate the occasion. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Desserts/Sweets
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 10-15

Ingredients:

Instant gulab jamun mix: 300 gms.(I personally prefer MTR brand)

Water: Half cup n lil’ more to prepare dough

Sugar: 750 gms.

Water: 750 ml.(To prepare sugar syrup)

Cardamom pods: 7/8 nos.

Rose essence: 4/5 drops

Ghee: 2 tbsp
+ { For deep frying}
Oil: 5 tbsp

Sugar: 2 tsp(For garnishing)

Method of preparation:

1. Take 300 gms of MTR instant gulab jamun mix. Empty the contents into a broad vessel. Gently rub the powder between fingers to break lumps present if any.

2. Add approximately half cup of water into it to form smooth dough. Do not knead too much.

3. Take 750 gms of sugar in a vessel.

4. Add 750 ml of water into the sugar and boil it.

5. Crush the cardamom pods in a mortar pestle.

6. Add crushed cardamom pods and few drops of rose essence into the boiling sugar syrup.

7. Boil for two more minutes and switch off the flame. Strain the syrup using a filter in a broad vessel and keep aside.

8. Heat kadai, pour oil and ghee for deep frying.

9. Now take the dough and make small round balls. Press them to get small circular disc. Like that make the entire dough into small discs.

10. When the oil/ghee becomes hot for deep frying, deep fry the discs on both sides in hot oil till they change into dark brown colour.

11. Transfer them onto a plate containing kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil.

12. After two minutes immerse the fried discs in warm sugar syrup.

13. Likewise fry all the discs in batches and soak them in sugar syrup for 30 minutes or till all the kaajas absorb sugar syrup well.

14. Now transfer the each kaaja into a bowl without syrup.

15. Dip or drizzle each kaaja in crystal sugar as a garnish.

16. Now the mouth melting malai kaaja is ready to serve. Transfer the malai kaaja onto a serving plate and serve hot or warm. The malai kaajas taste amazing when chilled. The shelf life of the malai kaaja is one week if refrigerated.

Tip:

Instead of sugar, dry fruits like almonds, pistachios can be used for garnishing.

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