Thekua is a traditional deep-fried sweet snack from Bihar made from whole wheat flour (atta).
Our thekua recipe results in a crumbly, wholesome cookie or biscuit that is also very popular in Jharkhand, West Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and in the terai region of Nepal. The Madhesh community in Nepal and the Mithil community in India and Nepal also make it.
Thekua is also called kajuria, khajoor, khajur, khajuria, khajuriya, khasta, thekari, thikari, or thokwa.
This traditional Bihari thekua recipe is offered as prasad during the Bihari festival of Chhath Puja (it is considered one of the Chhath Puja special recipes), as well as Saraswati Puja, and other festivals like Navratri. The prasad includes sweets, kheer, and thekua. The food during this festival is strictly vegetarian and is cooked without salt, onion, or garlic.
Chhath is mostly celebrated in Bihar and in the Mithila region of Nepal. Chhath Puja is a four-day festival dedicated to the worship of Surya Dev (the Sun God) and his wife, Usha, who is also known as Chhathi Maiya (Mother Chhath). Chhath is celebrated twice a year. Chhota Chhath is celebrated a few days after Holi and is also known as Chaitri Chhath. Karthik Shashthi is celebrated after Diwali. During Chhath Puja, devotees fast, abstain from drinking water, take a dip in a holy river or pond, offer prayers to the rising and setting sun, and meditate by standing in a water body for a long period of time.
The key thekua ingredients are whole wheat flour (atta), ghee, and jaggery (gur or unrefined brown sugar).
Coconut, fennel seed, and cardamom are also added to the thekua recipe to enhance the taste, flavour, and aroma of thekua.
The difference between thekua and khajoor is based on minor details. Some say that the small round piece made by a belan (rolling pin) is called thekua and that the slightly flattened oblong piece shaped by hand is called khajoor. Others say that the one made with jaggery is called thekua and the one made with sugar is called khajoor. Whatever the difference may be, all agree that the dish is delectable and irresistible.
Our Bihari thekua recipe shows you how to make sweet thekua in easy-to-follow steps. Enjoy this special prasad partaken during Chhath Puja.
Tips on Thekua preparation:
Thekua is traditionally made with jaggery, which makes it healthy and tasty. You can replace jaggery with regular sugar or honey if you want.
When melting jaggery, grate it and use a very small amount of water. This is important to achieve a stiff dough, which is essential for thekua preparation of the right consistency, thickness, and texture. The amount of water while kneading the dough can be adjusted later if required.
After the jaggery has melted (heat it over low heat), strain impurities, if any. Allow it to cool completely.
The trick to making crumbly thekua is getting dough of the right consistency. It should be stiff and quite hard. Soft dough will result in soft, non-crumbly poori-like thekua.
After the dough has been kneaded, make sure to rest it for 10 to 15 minutes.
Thekua is traditionally rolled out, shaped, and pressed against a wooden mould called saancha, which can be greased with ghee to prevent the dough from sticking to it, before it is deep fried.
If you do not have saancha, you can use any utensil, cup, or glass with an upraised design at its base to make the desired design or pattern. You can also use the tines of a fork, cookie cutter, sieve, plastic basket, grater, toothpick, or even your bare hands to create a design. Or you can omit all patterns and leave the thekua plain. For a fun-filled family activity, you can get children involved in pressing patterns into the dough.
Add dry fruits like cashew (kaju), raisin (kishmish), pistachio (pista), almond (badam), and dried date (khajur) to the dough in our thekua recipe for a crunchier, nuttier texture. Dry fruits also help reduce the amount of jaggery or sugar, making for a healthier and tastier snack.
Thekua becomes harder and crisper as it cools. Once cooled completely, pack in an air-tight container and store in a cool, dry place. It keeps well for up to a month.
Thanks to its long shelf life, thekua is an ideal snack for road trips and long journeys.
Serve thekua as a snack at teatime or enjoy it at any time of the day.
Learn how to make the best khajoor biscuits (thekua or khasta) at home with step by step photos and our thekua recipe video with all ingredients & easy cooking method below.
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