In Karnataka Kajjaya is a traditional sweet prepared during Deepavali. Kajjaya, Nippattu, Chakkuli are made at home, packed and distributed to friends and relatives.  Most of south Indians know this sweet by the name Adhirasam or Ariselu. This traditional sweet  has two main ingredients jaggery and rice. This is one of my mother’s special,sweet recipe which never goes wrong,which I learned and like to share with you all,I should say it is slightly difficult dish,but very simple and easy if you follow the right proportion and procedure,which turns out crispy and yummy sweet dish.Just try and enjoy with your family.

Preparation time – 20 min

Soaking time for rice – 10 to 12 hr or over night

Cooking time  – 30 min

Makes – 25 no’s

Ingredients – 

Rice – 2 1/2 cup

jaggery – 2 cup

White sesame seeds – 1/2 cup

Cardamom – 5 no’s powdered

Cooking soda – 1 pinch

How to make kajjaya.

Soak rice for 10 to 12 hours,then drain out the water ,spread the drained rice on a white cotton cloth for 10 min till it becomes little dry in a shade.

Take a mixer jar add rice and run to make a fine powder and set aside

Divide the rice for 2 or 3 batches to make powder in a mixer jar

Sieve the prepared rice flour and keep ready

Keep all the ingredients ready .

Heat a kadai ,add jaggery and 1/4 cup of water .

Stir, in a medium flame till jaggery dissolves in water.

Pass the jaggery syrup through a coffee sieve and remove the dust particle.Transfer again to the same kadai

Bring the mixture to boil,keep stirring till the jaggery syrup becomes little thick in consistency, (as you find string consistency) as shown in the image, turn off the flame.

Add rice flour,white sesame and a pinch of cooking soda and mix altogether properly without flame.

Add cardamom powder mix once again.Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

When the mixture becomes cool.Heat oil in a kadai,take a lemon sized ball of mixture

Take a butter paper or a plastic sheet or banana leaves grease it with oil.

Flatten it on a greased plastic sheet .Make a hole in the center.

When the  oil is hot, remove the Kajjaya  from the plastic sheet gently and fry one by one in medium heat,fry till it turns to golden brown in colour ,then turn to other side and continue..

Remove from the oil and continue the same procedure to  deep fry rest of the mixture.

Allow it to cool,transfer it to a air tight container .

Crispy ,yummy traditional Kajjaya is ready .

Note -In olden days Kajjaya was prepared by using Kempakki in Kannada means red rice ,now a days red rice is available in market which has much vitamins and proteins,or it can be prepared with dosa rice or with sona masuri rice .