Thekua is a traditional Indian sweet treat that is popularly made in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. It is especially prepared during festive occasions like Chhath Puja.
Thekua is a crispy and crunchy cookie made with whole grain flour or atta along with other ingredients.
It is not an Indian version of baked cookies in the western world; rather an age-old indigenous innovation. Here are the steps to follow to make this popular Indian delicacy.
Key Takeaways:
- Thekua is a traditional sweet associated with Chhath Puja.
- Thekua is a crispy, mildly sweet cookie made with whole grain flour, jaggery, coconut, and flavored with cardamom and fennel seeds.
- It can be fried in ghee or oil, and variations such as coconut, nutty, spiced, sesame, cardamom, and chocolate thekua can be tried.
- Enjoy thekua with tea or milk.
The Ingredients:
- 2 cups Whole grain flour or atta
- 1 cup Chopped Jaggery
- 1 cup Lukewarm Milk
- 3 tablespoons Small coconut pieces
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Cashew nuts
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
- 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 0.5 ltr Refined oil
How to Make Thekua (Step by Step Images)?
1. Add chopped jaggery, coconut, dry fruits, fennel seeds and salt to whole grain flour. Mix well.
2. Add ghee. Give a proper mix.
3. Add milk slowly and mix well. Add more milk until a consistently semi-soft texture is obtained.
4. Make sure to knead gently; overworking on dough is highly discouraged.
5. Keep the mixture aside for 10 minutes.
6. Make balls from the dough. Use your palms to flatten each ball. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin.
7. You can give these balls different shapes with the help of a fork, toothpick or a bamboo skewer.
8. Deep fry them in oil or ghee. Make sure to fry them on low flame’ otherwise the outside will get crunchier but the inner side won’t be cooked properly. Enjoy thekua with tea or milk.
Recipe Card
Thekua Recipe | Indian Fried Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups Whole grain flour or atta
- 1 cup Chopped Jaggery
- 1 cup Lukewarm Milk
- 3 tablespoons Small coconut pieces
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Cashew nuts
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
- 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 0.5 ltr Refined oil
Instructions
- Add chopped jaggery, coconut, dry fruits, fennel seeds and salt to whole grain flour. Mix well.
- Add ghee. Give a proper mix.
- Add milk slowly and mix well. Add more milk until a consistently semi-soft texture is obtained.
- Make sure to knead gently; overworking on dough is highly discouraged.
- Keep the mixture aside for 10 minutes.
- Make balls from the dough. Use your palms to flatten each ball. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin.
- You can give these balls different shapes with the help of a fork, toothpick or a bamboo skewer.
- Deep fry them in oil or ghee. Make sure to fry them on low flame’ otherwise the outside will get crunchier but the inner side won’t be cooked properly. Enjoy thekua with tea or milk.
Video
Notes
- I use good-quality ingredients to make thekua, especially the jaggery.
- The amount of jaggery in this recipe is customizable. You can increase or decrease it according to your taste preference.
- Knead the dough carefully. When done, let it sit for a while. This will enhance the texture and flavor of the thekua.
- You can fry the thekua in oil or ghee but make sure you maintain a medium heat level. This will ensure that these are fried evenly, inside out, without getting burnt. It will also enhance the crispiness of the thekua.
- Fry the pieces in small batches. Overcrowding them in the pan while frying might leave a few pieces uncooked and might even affect their shape.
