Thekua is a popular dish prepared by devotees in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Nepal, offered to Lord Surya and Chhati Maiyya on the occasion of Chhath Puja. It is prepared on the third day of the Chhath Puja. Chhath Puja is celebrated six days after Diwali Amavasya (छठ ) to offer thanks to the sun god Surya and his sister Chhathi Maiya. Thekua is also distributed as a ‘prasad’ in temples on the final day of Chhath. A dry and healthy snack, it needs no preservative and has a long shelf life. It can be prepared as sweet or savoury.
Sweet Thekua Ingredients:
1 cup Maida (All Purpose Flour )
1/4 cup sugar (you may add up to 1/2 cup if you prefer extra sweet)
1/4 cup ghee
Pinch of salt
Chopped nuts - 1 cup (cashews, almonds, pistachio, dried raisins)
3-4 Tablespoons of milk cream
1 Tbsp of Fennel SeedsPreparing dough for Sweet Thekua
Add the sugar, ghee and a pinch of salt to the Maida. Thoroughly mix the ghee with maida. Add the chopped nuts, milk cream, fennel seeds and make a tight dough. Sprinkle water as and when needed and knead it into a very tight dough.Savoury Thekua Ingredients:
1 cup Maida
1/4 cup Sooji / Sooji flour
A handful of fresh, cleaned and roughly chopped methi leaves or dried Kasoori Methi leaves
1/4 cup ghee
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon of Ajwain
Oil for deep fryingPreparing dough for savoury Thekua
Add the sooji, methi leaves, ghee to the maida and thoroughly mix the ghee well with the flour. Then add salt to taste with a pinch of sugar and the ajwain. Make a very tight dough by sprinkling water when needed.Method of making the Thekua
Press the dough in a Thekua Mould.
Heat the oil in a Kadai. Add a ladle of ghee to the oil for richness. Initially, keep the flame on medium heat for the deep fry and gradually increase the heat. Otherwise, the Thekua will be cooked from outside and not the inside. Remove it when the Thekua turns golden brown.Baking Thekua
If you wish to bake Thekua, pre-heat the oven (top and bottom coils) for 10 mins at 180°C.
Line a cookie tray with parchment paper. Arrange the Thekuas with enough gaps. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes or until the Thekuas are golden brown. Check once in 15 mins to see if they are done. Brush the Thekuas with ghee once baked.Enjoy delicious Thekua with a steaming hot cup of tea.
Thekua Recipe For Chhat Puja -
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