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Thor
ठोर: thick discs of ghee-rich dough fried slowly and coated in sugar, the long-keeping prasad of Nathdwara
At the Shrinathji temple in Nathdwara, near Udaipur, thor is one of the dry prasads that pilgrims carry home in paper parcels, because it keeps for weeks. A very short dough of flour, semolina and plenty of ghee is shaped into thick discs, fried slowly in ghee until cooked right through, then coated in sugar syrup that dries to a crisp white glaze. It crumbles like shortbread. The common mistake is frying in hot fat; the outside browns while the thick centre stays raw. Chef's tip: the ghee should be only warm when the discs go in, rising slowly to medium, so they take a full 15 minutes.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 9 oz plain flour (maida)
- 1 ¾ oz fine semolina
- 3 ⅛ oz gheemelted
- ½ cup milkas needed
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
For frying and coating
- 3 cups ghee or oil for deep-frying
- 7 oz sugar
- ½ cup water
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅛ oz ghee into 9 oz plain flour (maida), 1 ¾ oz fine semolina and ½ tsp ground cardamom until it holds in a clump when squeezed.
5 minStep 2: Add ½ cup milk a spoon at a time and press (don't knead) into a stiff dough. Rest 15 minutes.
17 minStep 3: Divide into 10 balls and flatten into 1.5 cm discs. Prick both sides with a fork and press a pattern on top.
6 minStep 4: Warm 3 cups ghee or oil for deep-frying in a deep kadhai, no more than a third full, until a pinch of dough rises very slowly (about 275°F). Never leave the pan unattended.
5 minStep 5: Fry 4–5 thor at a time on low heat, turning, for 12–15 minutes, letting the heat rise to medium, until pale gold and firm to a tap. Drain and cool.
30 minStep 6: Boil 7 oz sugar and ½ cup water to a thick two-string syrup, about 8 minutes, then stir off the heat until it turns cloudy.
8 minStep 7: Dip each thor in the syrup, place on a rack and leave until the coating dries white. Store airtight for up to 3 weeks.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thor take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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