I know them as khajuri; some people from Bihar call them thekua. And the people who dont know these terms. I introduce them as "Indian Cookies". These are the most famous snacks in Bihar; you are traveling-you pack these. your mother send over these when you are away from home. Another version of these are made during Chhathh Pooja for offering. These can also be easily stored and eaten for 10 days.
You will need: All purpose flour (Maida), Wheat Flour, Sugar, Cardamoms, Ghee, and Oil for deep frying.
Mostly people use only all purpose flour,but I prefer 1:1 ratio of maida and atta (Wheat flour).This makes it healthier. Sugar to flour ratio is 1:2. In simple words, Quantity of sugar is half of the total flour used. You can also reduce the amount of sugar by 2-3 spoons depending upon your taste buds. I prefer a littl eless sweet ; So I remove few spoons of sugar from the said proportions.
Soak sugar in a little water . Water sould be enough to make the sugar melts. The idea is to convert the sugar into a very thick syrup. Now take the flour in a very large bowl preferably in which you knead the dough. Mix both kind of flour.Now pour ghee in to this mixture. Keep rubbing flour with both hands for another 20-25 minutes. This will make sure that ghee is completely mixed with the flour. Don't ignore this process,it will help to enhance the taste and texture of the khajuri. Add grounded cardamom seeds.Now add sugar syrup little by little and move your hands in flour as you are kneading the dough. Soon the flour mixture will start crumbling. Keep doing this and soon you will have your dough ready. Cover it with a wet thin cotton cloth.
Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai. Make small balls of the dough and press it between your palms. you will have a circular cookie. make sure its evenly flattened, not thick somewhere and thin elsewhere.
Deep fry all of them. keep the stove on a medium to little higher than medium flame. you can fry 4-5 at a time depending upon your kadai size and quantity of oil combined together. Let it cool. Store in an air-tight jar and you are good to start eating them..:)
Mostly served with pickles.
Tip Of the Day: Ghee proprtion is 5-6 tbspoon for a kg of flour. Do not use any other raisins unless you are using a powdered version as while deep frying ,they will burn. Cardamom gives it the best taste and flavour.This is the way moms and grand-moms have been making in Bihar. One of my version is I add a portion of grated coconut with the flour. to flatten the bread usually a wooden/steel carved structure (we call it saacha in hindi)is used which is readily available in market. But in its absence ,you can use you hand fan. just take the dough ball and press it against the fan. Do not keep the flattened khajuris uncovered. keep them covered with a wet muslin/cotton cloth. Have patience while frying. Its a time taking process.
You will need: All purpose flour (Maida), Wheat Flour, Sugar, Cardamoms, Ghee, and Oil for deep frying.
Mostly people use only all purpose flour,but I prefer 1:1 ratio of maida and atta (Wheat flour).This makes it healthier. Sugar to flour ratio is 1:2. In simple words, Quantity of sugar is half of the total flour used. You can also reduce the amount of sugar by 2-3 spoons depending upon your taste buds. I prefer a littl eless sweet ; So I remove few spoons of sugar from the said proportions.
Soak sugar in a little water . Water sould be enough to make the sugar melts. The idea is to convert the sugar into a very thick syrup. Now take the flour in a very large bowl preferably in which you knead the dough. Mix both kind of flour.Now pour ghee in to this mixture. Keep rubbing flour with both hands for another 20-25 minutes. This will make sure that ghee is completely mixed with the flour. Don't ignore this process,it will help to enhance the taste and texture of the khajuri. Add grounded cardamom seeds.Now add sugar syrup little by little and move your hands in flour as you are kneading the dough. Soon the flour mixture will start crumbling. Keep doing this and soon you will have your dough ready. Cover it with a wet thin cotton cloth.
Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai. Make small balls of the dough and press it between your palms. you will have a circular cookie. make sure its evenly flattened, not thick somewhere and thin elsewhere.
Deep fry all of them. keep the stove on a medium to little higher than medium flame. you can fry 4-5 at a time depending upon your kadai size and quantity of oil combined together. Let it cool. Store in an air-tight jar and you are good to start eating them..:)
Mostly served with pickles.
Tip Of the Day: Ghee proprtion is 5-6 tbspoon for a kg of flour. Do not use any other raisins unless you are using a powdered version as while deep frying ,they will burn. Cardamom gives it the best taste and flavour.This is the way moms and grand-moms have been making in Bihar. One of my version is I add a portion of grated coconut with the flour. to flatten the bread usually a wooden/steel carved structure (we call it saacha in hindi)is used which is readily available in market. But in its absence ,you can use you hand fan. just take the dough ball and press it against the fan. Do not keep the flattened khajuris uncovered. keep them covered with a wet muslin/cotton cloth. Have patience while frying. Its a time taking process.
I can almost smell the aroma when my mother used to make it.
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