Lifestyle Desk – Chhath Puja 2026: As the festival of Chhath Puja approaches, preparations for it begin in many parts of the country including Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. From cleaning the houses to collecting puja materials and making prasad, preparations are done with great enthusiasm. Thekua has special significance in this festival. This traditional dish prepared from jaggery, wheat flour and ghee is one of the major offerings to Chhathi Maiya. Its aroma and taste further enhance the beauty of the festival.
During Chhath Puja, women in many homes prepare Thekua in the traditional way. However, many times when making thekua at home, it becomes hard or loses its crispness within a short period of time.
In such a situation, if you are also preparing to make Thekua at home for Chhath Puja this time, then it is important to keep some simple things in mind. By adopting the right ingredients, method of kneading the dough and right temperature of frying, you can make delicious thekua that remains crisp for a long time. Let us know those tips.
Add appropriate amount of ghee or flour to the flour.
To make Thekua crispy, the most important thing is to add the right amount of Moin to the flour. For this, add some ghee to wheat flour and mix well. Now take the dough on your palm and press it. If the dough starts to take a light shape when you tie it in a fist, then understand that the flour is in the right amount. Keep in mind that if there is too little ghee, thekua may become hard, while adding too much ghee may spoil its shape.
Maintain correct temperature of jaggery syrup
Jaggery is used to add sweetness and special taste to Thekua. For this, heat jaggery in some water and dissolve it well. After this, filter the syrup, so that the impurities present in it are removed. Keep in mind that the syrup should not be too thick. Mix it in flour only after it cools completely. Adding hot syrup may affect the texture of the dough and thekua may not be prepared properly.
Do not use too much water while kneading the dough.
To make thekua, the dough should neither be too soft nor too hard. After adding jaggery syrup, add some water as per requirement. Knead the dough slowly and do not try to make it completely soft. Adding too much water does not make thekua crisp after frying. It would be better that after kneading the dough, keep it covered for 10 to 15 minutes. This will set the dough well and it will be easy to make thekua.
Fry thekua on low to medium flame
The crispness of thekua largely depends on the method of frying. Many times, when fried on high flame, thekua turns brown quickly from outside, but does not cook properly from inside. Therefore, after heating ghee or oil in the pan, keep the flame low to medium. Fry the thekua slowly until it turns golden brown. Do not put too many thekuas in the pan at once, as this may reduce the temperature of the oil and they will not be able to fry properly.
Cool thekua and keep it in a container.
After frying thekua, do not make the mistake of immediately keeping it in a closed container. First of all, take it out in a plate or sieve and let it cool completely. Storing hot thekua in a container can cause steam to accumulate, making it soggy and losing crispness. After it cools down, keep it in a clean, dry and airtight container. There should be no moisture in the box at all. This will retain the taste and crispness of thekua for a long time.
Avoid these mistakes while making Thekua
Some small mistakes while making Thekua can spoil its taste and texture. Adding too much water to the flour, frying on very high flame and immediately sealing the hot thekua in a box are such mistakes. Apart from this, the oil or ghee used for frying thekua should also be clean. If you want to add fennel, cardamom or coconut to it, then keep their quantity balanced, so that the traditional taste of thekua is maintained.