Thekuaठेकुआ
Video: Kabita's Kitchen (YouTube)
Thekua is Bihar and Jharkhand's most sacred sweet — pressed into wooden molds carved with flowers and leaves, then deep-fried until hard and golden, these cookies are offered to the sun god during Chhath Puja. But you do not need a festival to make them. Jaggery, whole wheat flour, fennel, and dried coconut come together in a dense, fragrant dough that fries into something utterly addictive — slightly sweet, a little chewy in the centre, crisp at the edges, with that distinctive anise note. They keep for days, which is why generations of Bihari grandmothers packed them for long journeys.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
Finding Desi spots near Plano…
Ingredients
- ▪Whole wheat flour (atta)2 cups
- ▪Jaggery (gur), grated3/4 cup
- ▪Ghee, melted3 tbsp
- ▪Fennel seeds (saunf)1 tsp
- ▪Desiccated coconut3 tbsp
- ▪Green cardamom, freshly ground1/2 tsp
- ▪Water (for dissolving jaggery)1/3 cup
- ▪Oil or ghee, for deep fryingfor frying
- If jaggery is unavailable, use dark brown sugar or raw cane sugar (reduce to 1/2 cup as it is sweeter). The flavour will be milder and less complex but still delicious. Ghee gives the authentic flavour — do not substitute with oil for the dough itself, though oil works fine for frying.
Method
- 1Dissolve grated jaggery in 1/3 cup warm water. Stir until fully dissolved, then strain through a fine sieve to remove any impurities. Let the jaggery water cool to room temperature.
- 2In a large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, fennel seeds, desiccated coconut, ground cardamom, and melted ghee. Use your fingers to rub the ghee into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs and holds together when pressed — this is the key to thekua's crumbly-yet-firm texture.
- 3Gradually add the jaggery water to the flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing with your hands. Knead into a stiff dough — stiffer than roti dough. The dough should not be sticky. If using a thekua mold, press portions of dough into the mold firmly and release. Otherwise, shape into small oval or round patties about 1.5 inches across.
- 4Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan over medium-low heat (160–170°C / 320–340°F). Fry thekua in batches — do not crowd. Fry slowly for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown all over. They will harden further as they cool. Drain on paper towels and cool completely before eating or storing.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.