Ragi Thekua Recipe brings together the nostalgic flavors of Bihar with the health benefits of ragi. This Millet Thekua offers a unique combination of taste and nutrition in every crunchy bite! (step-by-step-video)
About Ragi Thekua Recipe:
If you are like me and love experimenting with traditional recipes, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy the recipe I’m sharing today.
It’s a tasty and healthy addition to your kitchen that combines the goodness of ragi (finger millet) with the nostalgic flavors of Thekua also called khajur, a popular snack from Bihar traditionally made during festivals like Chhath Puja.
If you are a regular reader, you might already be familiar with Thekua. If not, you can check out the two Thekua recipes I shared before. The links to those recipes are given below.
Thekua is a sweet snack from Bihar, often called the “Bihari cookie” because of its crunchy texture and mild sweetness.
Traditionally, it’s made during Chhath Puja as prasad (a religious offering) and enjoyed with family and friends.
Generally, Thekua is made with simple ingredients like whole wheat flour and jaggery or maida and sugar; some people even add suji (semolina) for extra texture.
In this version, we’ve given Thekua a healthy twist by adding ragi flour (finger millet). Ragi is rich in calcium, iron, and fiber, making it a nutritious choice. It supports bone health, aids digestion, and boosts energy, making it suitable for both kids and adults.
The subtle, nutty flavor of ragi blends well with the traditional ingredients, enhancing the snack without losing its authentic taste.
This healthy twist adds nutrition without compromising on taste, making Ragi Thekua a great option for school tiffin boxes or as an energy-boosting treat for the whole family. It’s also perfect for any festive season.
What makes this Millet Thekua special is that it fits into any celebration, not just Chhath Puja. It’s ideal for Diwali, Navratri, or Raksha Bandhan, offering a wholesome sweet treat. You can enjoy it during festivities or pack it for tiffin boxes and snack breaks.
The sweetness comes from jaggery, a natural and healthier alternative to refined sugar, making this snack both festive and nutritious.
Since Thekua stays fresh for several days, it’s also perfect as a travel snack or tea-time munchie. Prepare a batch during the festive season and enjoy it with your family all week long.
With this healthier twist, you can enjoy Thekua guilt-free, knowing it’s packed with wholesome ingredients and essential nutrients.
Whether it’s for festive celebrations, a quick snack, or a tiffin box treat, this Ragi Cookie is the perfect choice. It’s simple, healthy, and delicious—bringing you the best of tradition and nutrition in every bite!
Serving Suggestion:
With Chai: Enjoy with a cup of masala chai or coffee.
For Festive Platters: Arrange Ragi Thekuas on your Diwali sweet platter to impress guests with a healthier option.
As Tiffin Snacks: Pack these for your kids’ school lunch boxes—they’re filling and healthy.
Storage Suggestion:
Store the Ragi Thekuas in an airtight container at room temperature; they stay fresh for 7-10 days.
Pro Tips for Millet Thekua:
Use Fresh Jaggery: Always use fresh, soft jaggery to get the best flavor and sweetness. If the jaggery is hard, melt it in water before adding it to the dough to ensure it mixes evenly.
Ghee: Ghee adds a rich flavor and makes the Thekua crisp and crumbly. Skipping or reducing ghee may result in a dry texture.
Dough Consistency: The dough should be pliable and a little soft. It is unlike the normal thekua where we keep the dough a little firm.
Frying: Always fry on medium heat to ensure the Thekuas cook evenly inside and turn golden brown. If the oil is too hot, they may brown on the outside but stay undercooked inside.
Shaping: Press the dough into discs with gentle hands. You can use a fork or knife to create patterns on top for a traditional look.
Flavouring: For a richer taste, you can add chopped nuts like almonds or pistachios to the dough, or sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before frying.
Storing: Let the Thekuas cool completely after frying before storing them in an airtight container. This ensures they remain crispy and fresh for a longer time.
Binding: For this recipe, I have used only ragi, If you want you can use a combination of ragi and whole wheat flour. Wheat flour gives better binding and structure.
Why One Should Make This Recipe:
A Healthy Festive Treat: Traditional Thekua is indulgent, but adding ragi flour makes it healthier without sacrificing flavor.
Great for Diwali and Festive Celebrations: Whether it’s Diwali, Chhath Puja, or even Raksha Bandhan, Ragi Thekua is a perfect sweet treat.
Easy to Make: This recipe is beginner-friendly and doesn’t require any special equipment. It’s as simple as kneading dough, shaping it, and frying.
Snack for All Ages: Be it kids or adults, everyone loves a crunchy bite. It’s perfect for school tiffin boxes, travel snacks, or evening chai-time munchies.
Looking For Some More Recipes Like this:
Wheat Flour and Jaggery Thekua
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Basic Ingredients Used to Make this Millet Thekua:
Ragi Flour: Ragi flour or finger millet, forms the base of this recipe, replacing the usual wheat flour to make the Thekua healthier.
Ragi is a powerhouse of calcium, iron, and fiber. It supports bone health, and digestion, and helps maintain steady energy levels, making it great for kids, adults, and the elderly alike.
The addition of ragi flour gives a slightly nutty and earthy flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of jaggery, giving the Thekua a unique and satisfying taste. It also gives the Thekua a denser, more rustic texture.
Jaggery: I have used jaggery in tbis recipe, which is the natural sweetener in this recipe, replacing refined sugar to make it healthier.
Jaggery adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness that enhances the flavor of ragi. It also binds the ingredients together, brings out the nice chewiness to the Thekua.
Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds act as a natural flavor enhancer. Fennel seeds add a light, aromatic flavor that complements the nuttiness of ragi and the sweetness of jaggery, giving the Thekua a touch of traditional Indian flavor.
Ghee: Ghee acts as the moin in this recipe, which means it’s rubbed into the flour to make the Thekua softer and more crumbly. Ghee gives the Thekua a rich, buttery flavor and ensures a crisp, crumbly texture when fried.
Coconut Pieces: Chopped coconut adds texture and mild sweetness to the Thekua, enhancing the richness. Coconut provides healthy fats, fiber, and a range of minerals that make the snack more filling and nutritious.
It also gives the Thekua a slight crunch and a hint of natural sweetness
Others: We would also need water to knead the dough and oil to deep fry the thekua.
Ragi Thekua
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a bowl, add ragi flour and ghee.
- Mix it well until the flour binds properly when you try to make a ball out of it. This step ensures the Thekua will be crumbly and soft.
- Add jaggery, chopped coconut, and fennel seeds. Mix thoroughly.
- Add water gradually and knead it into a soft dough.
- Take small portions of the dough and make balls out of it.
- Roll each ball and flatten it slightly to about 1/2 inch thickness. You can use your palm or fingers to press it down gently.
- Make some design with the help of kitchen tools, or with the mould, if you have.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan over low flame.
- Fry the flattened thekuas slowly until they turn golden brown and are cooked thoroughly from the inside.
- The Thekuas are now ready to serve.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About Ragi Thekua Recipe:
Can I bake the Thekuas instead of frying them?
Yes! You can bake them at 180°C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
What can I use instead of jaggery?
You can replace jaggery with brown sugar or coconut sugar, though jaggery adds an authentic flavor.
Can I use wheat flour along with ragi flour?
Yes, of course! Adding wheat flour to ragi flour makes this recipe easier to handle.
My Recommended Product:
To make Ragi Thekua, if you are searching for Thekua Mould, so here I have listed a product here just for you. You might want to check it out. You can even check out my page on Amazon, where you will find my favorite kitchen tools, Appliances, Accessories, and more HERE.
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission.
Remember that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.
I am an independent blogger, and the reviews are based on my opinions. You make the decision, and whether or not you buy something is completely up to you.
- This mould is made of pure sheesham wood and was created by our talented craftsman. It is used in the production of sweets (thekua and khajoor/khajoori).
- It is also used in Chhath Puja festival for making thekua pakbaan(recipie)/Maha Prasad of Lord Sun.
- For use in making Thekua and Khajoor
- Made From 1 inch thick Sheesham / Rosewood
- Antibacterial & long lasting product
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