| |
Alternative names |
|
---|---|
Course | Snack |
Place of origin | India and Nepal |
Region or state | India
|
Main ingredients | Wheat flour, sugar syrup or jaggery, ghee, cardamom, coconut, dried fruits, milk |
Thekua (also spelt as Thokwa or Thekariis), also known as Khajuria, Tikari [1] and Thokni, is an Indo-Nepalese sweet dish popular in Southern Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. [2] Thekua is a revered prasada, offering to god, during Chhath puja. [3] [4] [5] It has been used as a sweet snack for centuries in these places. [6] [7]
It is widely and popularly used as a 'Sandesh' (also called Bhojani) in local ancient-traditional culture. 'Sandesh' (it may be fruits, sweets or any edible/potable goods) . A 'Sandesh' is something which a guest brings to someone's home when he/she arrives there.
Thekua, dating back around 3,700 years to the Rigvedic period (1500-1000 BCE), is referred to as 'Apupa' in the Rigveda. Made with wheat flour, jaggery, milk, and ghee, it was first used for its medicinal benefits and later became a traditional offering to the Sun God during Chhath Puja. [8]
The main ingredients of thekua are wheat flour, chasni (melted sugar) and ghee. Jaggery can sometimes be used as an alternative to sugar. [6] Dough is prepared using these four main ingredients and cardamom can be added to enhance the taste. A special wooden cookie mold is used to form various designs on the thekua. [9] Dough is deep fried in ghee or vegetable oil until it becomes reddish brown. It is soft when hot but hardens after it cools. It needs no preservatives and it can be preserved for several days for eating.
The preparation of thekua for the Chhath celebration is usually done in the worshipping room, to maintain the purity. [10]
A group of 16 people from Darbhanga, Bihar prepared a Thekuwa of 91 kg in 2019 to catch the attention of the Limca Book of Records. [11]
Khaja or Khajuri is an Indian deep-fried pastry, commonly filled with fruit or soaked with sugar syrup.
Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival, native to eastern India and southern Nepal. It is celebrated especially in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh; and the Nepalese Autonomous provinces of Koshi, Lumbini, and Madhesh. In major Indian and Nepalese urban centres like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kathmandu, etc., the diaspora actively participates in celebrating Chhath, preserving their cultural heritage. The festival is also celebrated in countries like the USA, Australia, Singapore, UAE, Canada, Mauritius, Japan, UK, etc., by the diaspora.
Rajasthani cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Rajasthan state in north-west India. It was influenced by various factors like the warlike lifestyles of its inhabitants, the availability of ingredients in an arid region and by Hindu temple traditions of sampradayas like Pushtimarg and Ramanandi. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred.
Puri, also poori, is a type of deep-fried bread, made from unleavened whole-wheat flour, originated from the Indian subcontinent.
Puran poli is an Indian sweet flatbread that is popular in South India and the state of Maharashtra. It is also known as puran puri, holige, obbattu, bobbatlu, poley, bakshamulu, and boli.
Mithai (sweets) are the confectionery and desserts of the Indian subcontinent. Thousands of dedicated shops in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka sell nothing but sweets.
Indian breads are a wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine. Their variation reflects the diversity of Indian culture and food habits.
Pithas are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from India and Bangladesh. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fried or griddled. Very few varieties are oven-baked or boiled, and most are unleavened and cooked on a stovetop. Some versions may have a filling, garnish, or sauce. Few may be set or shaped after cooking. They are typically eaten as a snack with chai, or as treats during special occasions.
Bhojpuri cuisine is a style of food preparation common among the Bhojpuri people of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh in India, and also the Terai region of Nepal. Bhojpuri foods are mostly mild and tend to be less hot in terms of spices used. The cuisine consists of both vegetable and meat dishes.
Churma is a popular Rajasthani, Bihari, Uttar Pradeshi, Haryanvi, and Awadhi delicacy from India. In Punjab, the dish is called churi. It is coarsely ground wheat, crushed and cooked with ghee and sugar.
Sel roti is a traditional Nepalese ring-shaped sweet fried dough made from rice flour. It is mostly prepared during Dashain and Tihar, widely celebrated Hindu festivals in Nepal as well as Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim regions in India. The dish is popular throughout Nepal. Sel roti is made from a batter of rice flour, water, sugar, ghee, and spices which is then deep-fried in cooking oil.
Shankarpali, shakkarpara, murali, khurma, lakdi mithai, or just simply mithai is an Indian sweet snack made from a dough of sugar, ghee, maida flour, and semolina. The name is derived from Persian Shekarpareh. Shankarpali is eaten in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Its variant known as khurma or laktho is also eaten in Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It is also eaten by the Indian diaspora in Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. It is traditionally eaten on Diwali and can be sweet, sour or spicy depending upon how it is made.
Gujhia, also known as Gughara, Pedakiya, Purukiya, Karanji, Kajjikayalu, Somas, and Karjikayi, is a sweet, deep-fried pastry that is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent.
Satui or Sattu is a type of flour, mainly used in Nepal, India, Tibet and Pakistan. Satui is a type of flour made up of dry roasted and ground pulses and cereals. The dry powder is prepared in various ways as a principal or secondary ingredient of dishes. Satui is used in vegetarian cuisine as it can be a source of protein.
Bihari cuisine is eaten mainly in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, as well as in the places where people originating from the state of Bihar have settled: Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, some cities of Pakistan, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Jamaica, and the Caribbean. Bihari cuisine includes Angika cuisine, Bhojpuri cuisine, Maithil cuisine and Magahi cuisine. Dal Puri
Anarsa or Hilsa is a rice-based biscuit in Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar and Maharastra. It is commonly associated with the Hindu festival of Diwali (Tihar) in Nepal, Maharashtra and Bihar, along with other special occasions. Its ingredients include jaggery, rice, poppy seed and ghee.
Daal bati is an Indian dish of dal (lentils) and bati. It is popular in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra's Khandesh and Vidarbha region, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.
Maithil cuisine, also known as Mithila cuisine, is a part of Indian and Nepalese cuisine. It is the traditional cooking style of Maithils residing in the Mithila region of the subcontinent.
Katt Bafla is a popular and traditional dish from the Kota, Bundi districts of Hadoti region in Rajasthan, India. It is a famous dish across the north Indian states in India. Traditionally this dish is made on every occasion in Rajasthan. In this dish Bafla is a type of spherical wheat bread whereas the Katt is a type of Barfi made with a mixture of unsalted wheat bread coarse powder with ghee and jaggery powder. Traditionally this dish is served with Daal and Kadhi.