Kajjikayalu | Andhra Special Kajjikayalu Recipe

Flaky, golden and delicious Andhra Special Kajjikayalu recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Senagapappu Kobbari Kajjikayalu – a traditional Andhra special sweet recipe!

Kajjikayalu is a traditional Andhra special sweet, a deep-fried pastry that is stuffed with simple coconut based stuffing. Kobbari kajjikayalu are made for Deepavali and any celebrations. Although it is very similar to Somas recipe made in Tamilnadu or Gujiya made in the North India, the stuffing used inside the flaky pastry is very unique.

A mixture of dry or fresh coconut, powdered sugar, cardamoms and fried gram is stuffed into pastry sheets made from scratch for kobbari kajjikayalu. This recipe is very close to my heart and makes me really nostalgic, as we made it every single year growing up. As amma would make the stuffing and dough for the pastry, the sister and I would roll, fill the sheets with the sweet stuffing and pass it onto amma for deep frying. Although it is slightly elaborate and time-consuming, this traditional Andhra sweet is so delicious and totally worth the effort!

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients
• Tips & Important Notes for Making Kajjikayalu
• Substitutions & Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Similar Recipes
• Kajjikayalu Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
• Recipe Notes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Key Ingredients

The pastry dough is made with All Purpose Flour, Semolina, a pinch of Salt, Hot Oil and Water. It makes for lighter, crispy, golden and flaky pastry.

The sweet stuffing is made from Fried Gram, Coconut, Sugar and Cardamoms.

For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.

Tips & Important Notes for Making Kajjikayalu

Andhra special Kajjikayalu is a slightly technical and time consuming recipe that requires some experience & practice. Follow the below tips and tricks to make it perfectly.

• The pastry dough – incorporate hot oil into the flour before kneading it with water. This ensures that the pastry is crisp when fried.
• Add semolina to the pastry dough also ensures that it stays crisp and flaky with longer shelf life
• As the pastry is made with maida, it should rest for a good 15-30 mins to get it softer.
• The pastry should be flaky, crispy and golden -  it is should be fried in low to medium flame. Keep the oil on lowest heat when dropping the pastry into hot oil. Fry on low heat until they are golden brown.
• Fill the pastry with as much stuffing as possible (about 2 tbsp) and seal it with water tightly before forming the shape. Without proper sealing, the stuffing can spill out when deep-fried.
• Oil temperature should be maintained at medium to low at all times. At high heat, the sweet changes color quickly but does not retain the crispness for long.
• Always wait until the fried goodies are at room temperature before stacking them in airtight containers.

Substitutions & Variations

For the stuffing, instead of fried gram you can also use roasted rava. Basically, use the rava laddu base as the stuffing.

If you do not have dry coconut or copra, use fresh coconut but dry roast it until there is no moisture.

We also make the pastry dough with whole wheat flour sometimes, although it is not as flaky as the one made with all-purpose flour, it is definitely an option.

Serving Suggestions

Once the Kajjikayalu cool down to room temperature, place them stacked and store in an airtight container for upto 15 days at room temperature.

Kajjikayalu can be served as a dessert or sweet for festivals & celebrations or even with evening coffee/tea. It is popularly made for weddings and important festivals like Diwali. Check out other Deepavali special recipes!

Similar Recipes

Kajjikayalu Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon semolina/sooji, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1.5 tablespoon hot oil. Mix everything well together.

Make a well in the center and add water little by little, start kneading the dough.

Knead the dough until it is soft, smooth and pliable. Let it rest for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile add ½ cup fried gram, ½ cup sugar and 2 green cardamoms in a blender.

Blend until smooth and remove it on to a mixing bowl.

Add ½ cup dry coconut grated.

Mix everything well and check for sweetness. Adjust if needed.

Now make small lemon sized balls from the dough and roll them smooth.

Take a ball of dough, dust it in flour and flatten it.

Using a rolling pin, roll it into a thin circle of even thickness.

Next place 1.5 to 2 tablespoon of prepared stuffing at the center.

Apply a few drops of water along the edges of the pastry sheet.

Fold the pastry sheet in half to make a crescent shape and stick the ends well together.

There are two ways to make the kajjikaya shape. You can use a cookie cutter to cut off the excess dough. Although this is easy, there is a chance of stuffing spilling in oil if the ends are not sealed properly. You can also use a kajjikaya mould to shape it.

The other method of kajjikaya folding is what I prefer. Twist the dough starting from one end making many small folds.

Prepare the kajjikaya with rest of the dough & stuffing. Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying. Once hot, set it on low flame.

Drop 1-2 prepared kajjikayalu at a time into hot oil depending on the size of the pan & oil.

After a minute or two, turn it around and let it cook on the other side too.

Cook on both sides on low to medium flame until they are golden brown, flaky & crispy.

Remove from oil and drain excess oil on a tissue paper.

As they get to room temperature, store them in airtight container for upto 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

• Adjust the amount of sugar in the stuffing depending on the sweetness preferred. You can reduce it to ⅓ cup for lesser sweet version.
• If using fresh coconut for stuffing, dry roast on low flame until there is no moisture.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

📖 Recipe