Khaja – Puri Jagannath Maha Prasad

Khaja is one of the famous holy foods served in India which has an authentic taste and a high shelf life since it is a dry sweet. This Maha Prasad is served in the Shri Jagannath Temple located in Puri, Odisha.

This traditional sweet is made up of three major ingredients—maida (refined wheat flour), ghee, and sugar or jaggery syrup. It is offered to Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra inside the temple. The sweet is considered sacred as it is prepared inside the temple kitchen known as Ananda Bazaar.

The taste and texture of the prasadam is generally crispy with crunchy layers. It is light, flaky, and mildly sweet.

Ingredients

• Maida (refined wheat flour) – 2 cups
• Ghee – 3 tbsp
• A pinch of salt and water
• Sugar – 1.5 cups
• Water – 1 cup
• Cardamom – 2–3 (optional)
• A few drops of lemon juice
• Use ghee for frying for better taste

Method of Cooking

• Start by preparing the dough by mixing maida and ghee gently until crumbly.
• Add water and knead simultaneously.
• Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 3 parts and make them into balls.
• Roll each ball into thin flat chapati squares.
• Spread ghee over a sheet and place each layer of dough one over the other, applying ghee between each layer.
• Roll tightly into a log.
• Cut the log into small 2 cm pieces and flatten slightly with a rolling pin.
• Heat ghee on medium flame and fry the khajas until golden brown and crispy.

Sugar Syrup

• Make a one-string consistency sugar syrup.
• Add cardamom to it and dip the fried khajas.
• Remove and allow them to dry.

Holiness of Khaja Mahaprasad

Khaja is offered directly to the Lord, making it divine and sacred. The food offered to Jagannath is believed to have spiritual energy, and devotees receive it as divine grace. This holy food is distributed to everyone without any discrimination, symbolizing purity, unity, and devotion.