Bihari Thekua Recipe with A2 Ghee (Chhath Prasad)
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By the Faimly Farm Team · Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Makes about 15 · A Bihari classic
Thekua is the iconic sweet of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, made especially as prasad during the Chhath festival. A crisp, deep-fried wheat-and-jaggery cookie scented with fennel and cardamom, it relies on pure ghee both in the dough and for frying. Here is how to make traditional thekua.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
- 3/4 cup jaggery (grated) or sugar
- 1/2 cup water (to melt the jaggery)
- 4 tbsp A2 ghee (for the dough, called moyan)
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf), lightly crushed
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- A2 ghee for deep frying
Method
1. Make jaggery water: dissolve the jaggery in warm water, then strain and cool.
2. Make the dough: mix the atta with the 4 tbsp ghee (moyan), fennel, cardamom, and coconut. Rub the ghee in well, then knead a firm, tight dough using the jaggery water. The dough should be stiff, not soft.
3. Shape: take small portions, press into thick discs or ovals, and imprint a pattern with a mould or fork (traditional).
4. Fry in ghee: heat A2 ghee on medium-low and fry the thekua slowly until deep golden and crisp. Low heat is key — too hot and they brown outside while staying raw inside.
5. Drain and cool: remove and cool completely; they crisp up further as they cool and keep for days.
Why Ghee Is Traditional Here
Thekua is traditionally made and fried in pure ghee — it gives the cookie its rich flavour, crisp texture, and the aroma that makes it special as Chhath prasad. Using genuine A2 ghee honours the festival tradition.
The Faimly Farm Tip
For prasad, purity matters — use genuine A2 ghee in the dough and for frying. Ours is made from indigenous-cow milk by the traditional bilona method, in small lab-tested batches under our FSSAI licence. Explore our A2 Bilona Cow Ghee or the full A2 Ghee collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is thekua?
Thekua is a crisp, deep-fried wheat-and-jaggery sweet from Bihar and eastern UP, scented with fennel and cardamom, made especially as Chhath festival prasad.
Why fry thekua on low heat?
Low heat lets the thick cookie cook through and turn crisp without browning too fast on the outside while staying raw inside.
Why use ghee for thekua?
Pure ghee gives thekua its traditional rich flavour, crisp texture, and prasad-worthy aroma, in both the dough and the frying.
How long does thekua keep?
Once fully cooled and crisp, thekua keeps well for several days to a couple of weeks in an airtight container.
Which ghee is best?
Pure A2 cow ghee, ideally bilona-made, is the traditional and most auspicious choice.
Conclusion
Thekua is the taste of Chhath — crisp, jaggery-sweet, and fragrant with ghee and fennel. Keep the dough stiff, fry patiently in pure A2 ghee, and you have a traditional sweet that honours one of eastern India's most beloved festivals.
Make traditional Chhath prasad. Explore our A2 Ghee collection, try A2 Bilona Cow Ghee, and see our complete guide to cooking with A2 ghee. New customers can use code FIRST10 for 10% off their first order.
Faimly Farm: indigenous A2 milk, traditional bilona batches, lab-tested purity under our FSSAI licence. Learn more about Faimly Farm or contact us.
