Chirote / Khaja is a popular sweet from Maharashtra in India. It is popularly made in festival times during Diwali. Just like other festive desserts like the Rabri, Kalakand, Kheer, chirote is yet another popular Diwali snack to indulge upon. You will simply love this super simple near to chirote no knead no fry khaja and anyone can easily make them.
Traditionally chirote is made by kneading a soft dough using a lot of ghee and flour. These are then rolled and layered using satan. the are the cut small flatten and deep fried. then these are either sprinkled with powdered sugar or dipped in sugar syrup. These delicacies are super heavy and rich. But I made them using a very simple and a quick way, just as i did my kaju fudge and the coconut ladoo. This way you need not knead any dough, no rolling anything and healthy by not frying them as well. Yes, these are made using the phyllo sheets!!
No this is not baklava but yes you can call them a fusion, as I have used the sheets and layered them using the sata/satan used in traditional chirote. Then I rolled them, cut them and baked. So easy and delicious. They taste as delicious as chirote. They are a little different but why not. If it is this simple and easy steps I can compromise on the taste a little.
How to make the Chirote/Khaja a quick short video
Chirote is made by layering 3-4 sheets of the dough. Here I use the phyllo sheets. Apply satan/ Butter and cornflour paste on each layer and dust with flour every layer. Using a stick roll the layers together and seal the ends with water. gently remove the stick and cut the roll in pieces. Bake the pieces at 350* for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven until golden brown. Make sugar syrup and dip these hot baked chirote in the syrup and remove them immediately after coating. The chirote is ready. Let’s do a quick recap video followed by the detailed recipe.
These Chirote may taste different than the traditional because phyllo sheets are thin. But it is a great instant alternative for a non fried snack.
Also check our other diwali or festive delicacies on the blog links below:
Chirote / Khaja
Ingredients
- 4 sheets Phyllo dough
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp cornflour/starch
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teasp cardamom powder
- rose petals (optional)
- Almond and pistachios/ Milk masala
Powdered sugar if skipping sugar syrup
Instructions
For the chirote
- Take well thawed phyllo sheets.Line up 1 sheet.
- Now in a bowl mix butter and cornstarch and make a paste called sata/satan.
- Apply this paste well on the lined up sheet covering the whole sheet well.
- Dust the sheet with flour.
- Line up second phyllo sheet over the first pasted and dusted sheet to match all the edges.Repeat the satan and dusting process over the second layer.
- Line up 3 sheet and same 4 sheet with each layer covered in satan and dusted with flour.
- Now with a help of a wooden or any thin roller start rolling the layers without disturbing the alignment.Apply water to seal the end roll.
- Remove the wooden stick gently keeping the roll intact.
- Now tighten the roll and cut off edged using knife.
- The layers look so cute.
- Now mark and cut 1 cm sized small pieces from the roll.
- You can slightly flatten them very gently.
- Line up these rolls in a baking tray.
- Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown in a preheated oven.
Sugar syrup
- Until the chirote bakes, make sugar syrup.
- In a separate pan boil together sugar and water until 5-7 minutes.
- The syrup needs to thicken just until we get a 1 string sticky syrup. (check video)
- The syrup is done when 1 string achieved. Add cardamom and rose petals or essence and switch of the flame.
Chirote/khaja
- Upon baking remove the chirote from the oven and dip them in the syrup we made.It will sizzle when hot.
- Coat them evenly and remove them and set aside to cool.
- Chirote is ready to indulge when cooled down.
If using powdered sugar.
- Skip the syrup stage.
- With a strainer just dust powdered sugar on baked chirote and serve when cooled.
- This no kneading, no frying chirote is nostalgic and tastes as good as chirote.
Notes
- Butter can be replaced with ghee.
- You can use more sheets if you want huge chirote. 4 layers can make tiny chirote.
- Baking time will differ from oven to oven.
- Do not leave the chirote in syrup for long. Just coat evenly and remove from the syrup.
-