Thekua is inseparable from Chhath Puja, the Bihari festival in which devotees offer prayers to the setting and rising sun from riverbanks and ponds. Families make huge batches in the days before, and the cookies go into the bamboo soop baskets as the main offering. Afterwards they are shared with neighbours and posted to relatives across the country.
The dough is plain atta bound with melted jaggery and ghee, flavoured with fennel seeds, cardamom and grated dried coconut. Each piece is pressed onto a carved wooden sancha so it carries a pattern, then fried slowly until deep brown. Good thekua is hard and crunchy outside, lightly crumbly inside, and keeps for weeks in an airtight tin.
At a glance
| Region | Bihar |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Bihari |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Snack |
| Prep time | 20 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 50 minutes |
| Serves | 8 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Gluten-free | No |
| Key ingredients | whole wheat flour / jaggery / ghee / coconut |
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (about 250 g)
- 3/4 cup grated jaggery (about 150 g)
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tbsp ghee, melted
- 3 tbsp desiccated or grated dry coconut
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp chopped dry fruits (optional)
- Ghee or oil for deep frying
Method
- Warm the jaggery with 1/2 cup water on low heat, stirring, just until it melts completely. Do not boil it into a syrup. Strain and let it cool until lukewarm.
- In a bowl mix the atta, coconut, fennel, cardamom and dry fruits. Add the melted ghee and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it holds together when pressed in a fist.
- Add the jaggery water a little at a time and knead into a stiff, tight dough – stiffer than chapati dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Pinch off lime-sized balls, flatten each slightly, and press firmly onto a greased thekua mould or the back of a fork to make a pattern. The pieces should be about 5 mm thick.
- Heat ghee or oil in a kadhai on medium heat. Test with a pinch of dough; it should rise slowly with small bubbles, not sizzle violently.
- Fry 5-6 thekuas at a time on medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes, turning once, until they are deep reddish-brown on both sides.
- Drain on a rack and let them cool completely – they crisp up as they cool. Store in an airtight container.
Tips
- Fry slowly; on high heat the outside darkens while the centre stays raw and soft.
- A soft dough makes thekua spread and lose its pattern – keep it stiff.
- For a lighter version, bake at 180 C for 20-25 minutes, though the texture will be more like a biscuit.
Serve with
With tea, or as prasad after Chhath Puja.