Chhath Puja 2025: How to Make Perfect Thekua at Home – Tips and Recipe

Chhath Puja, celebrated six days after Diwali, falls on October 27th this year. This festival is especially significant in Bihar and is dedicated to Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. Devotees observe a four-day fast with purity, devotion, and discipline. One of the festival’s highlights is Thekua Prasad, which is offered to Chhathi Maiya and holds cultural as well as culinary importance.

Thekua is loved for its crunchy exterior and soft, crispy interior, made using wheat flour, jaggery, coconut, and cardamom. Here’s a step-by-step guide to make the perfect thekua at home along with essential tips.

Essential Ingredients:

• Wheat flour – 2 cups

• Jaggery – 1 cup

• Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

• Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp

• Fennel seeds – 2 tsp

• Water – as needed

• Ghee – for frying

Step 1: Prepare Jaggery Solution

• Heat a pan with some water and add the jaggery.

• Stir until fully melted.

• Let it cool slightly, strain, and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Dough

• In a bowl, mix wheat flour, ghee, grated coconut, cardamom powder, and a little water.

• Gradually add the jaggery solution and knead until smooth.

• Dough should be slightly stiffer than regular roti dough.

• Avoid using too much or too little ghee to maintain crispiness.

Step 3: Shape the Thekua

• Grease your hands lightly with ghee.

• Take a ball of dough and press it flat between your palms.

• Use a fork or spoon to create decorative patterns on top.

Step 4: Fry the Thekua

• Heat ghee or mustard oil in a pan over medium heat.

• Fry the thekuas slowly until golden brown.

• Avoid high heat to ensure they cook through without burning outside.

Important Tips for Perfect Thekua:

Dough should not be too soft or too hard; it may break while frying.

Use slightly warm jaggery solution; hot solution can make dough soggy.

Don’t cover fried thekuas immediately, or they will lose their crunch.

Use pure ghee or mustard oil for frying to enhance taste and aroma.