Thekua for Chhath Puja, with jaggery and cardamom

Chhath Puja, celebrated across Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh a few days after Diwali, is a festival of offerings to the setting and rising sun. The soop, a woven bamboo tray, is filled with fruit, sugarcane and coconut, and at its heart is thekua: a crisp, patterned sweet of whole wheat flour, jaggery and ghee.

Ingredients

Makes about 20.

• 2 cups (250 g) whole wheat flour (atta)
• 3/4 cup (150 g) grated jaggery
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons ghee, plus ghee or oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons grated dry coconut
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

1. Warm the water and dissolve the jaggery in it. Let it cool until just warm.
2. Mix the flour, coconut, fennel and cardamom. Rub in the 3 tablespoons of ghee until the flour holds when pressed.
3. Add the jaggery water little by little to make a stiff, smooth dough. Rest it for 10 minutes.
4. Take a small ball of dough and press it onto a thekua mould, or onto the back of a fork or a clean comb, to print the pattern. Shape into rounds or ovals about 1 cm thick.
5. Fry in ghee or oil on low to medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp.
6. Cool completely on a plate; they crisp up as they cool.

Tips

• A stiff dough keeps the pattern sharp and the thekua crisp.
• Fry slowly. High heat browns the outside before the inside cooks.
• Cardamom and fennel are the classic pair. For a stronger aroma, crush the seeds of a few whole green cardamom pods just before mixing.

Storing thekua

Thekua keeps for 10 to 15 days in an airtight tin once fully cooled, which is why it is often shared with family after the festival.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use sugar instead of jaggery?

You can, but jaggery gives thekua its traditional colour and flavour.

Why did my thekua turn soft?

The dough was too soft or the thekua was fried too fast. Keep the dough stiff and fry on a gentle flame.

Is thekua baked or fried?

Traditionally fried. Baking at 180°C for about 20 minutes works, but the texture is closer to a biscuit.