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Food & Recipes

Silao Khaja

A flaky, layered sweet from Silao in Nalanda district, awarded a Geographical Indication tag in 2018.

Stacks of layered khaja sweets from Silao
Photo: Odantapuribs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Khaja is a flaky pastry of wheat flour, fried in ghee and soaked in sugar syrup. The version from Silao, a town in Nalanda district, is the best known in Bihar.

In December 2018 Silao khaja received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which recognises it as a product tied to its place of origin. Khaja is also part of Chhath offerings, and in the Magadh region it is traditionally given as a gift at a daughter’s wedding.

DistrictNalanda
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