AI-generated image
Thethri
Crunchy salted gram-flour twists (ठेठरी) made for Teeja and Hareli in Chhattisgarh
No Teeja in Chhattisgarh passes without a tin of thethri: knotted and twisted pieces of gram-flour dough, seasoned with ajwain and chilli and fried slowly until they shatter when you bite. Married daughters coming home for the festival are sent back with them, alongside the sweet khurmi, and they keep for weeks. Each family has its favourite shape, from simple knots to little spirals and braided rings. Chef's tip: fry on a medium-low flame and be patient; thethri fried hot puff up and brown outside but stay soft and chewy inside.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz gram flour (besan), 2 tbsp rice flour, 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Add 3 tbsp vegetable oil and rub with your fingertips for 2 minutes until the mix holds together when you squeeze a handful.
Step 2: Add ½ cup water a little at a time and knead into a firm, smooth dough that does not stick to your hands. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Pinch off marble-sized pieces and roll each into a thin rope about 15 cm long. Twist ropes into knots, loops or small spirals, or plait three together into a ring. Keep them under a cloth as you work.
Step 4: Heat 3 cups vegetable oil in a kadai on medium to about 325°F, when a pinch of dough rises slowly with small bubbles. Fry 10–12 pieces at a time on medium-low for 7–8 minutes, turning, until they are firm, a light golden-orange and the bubbling slows almost to a stop.
25 minStep 5: Drain on a rack or paper and cool completely; they crisp further as they cool. Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thethri take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- 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 red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Coastal Mombasa mix
A Mombasa street-food bowl: chickpeas and potato simmered in coconut milk with raw mango and chilli, ladled into small bowls and topped with crisp lentil fritters, crunchy chevdo and red, green and tamarind chutneys. Make the fritters and chevdo ahead and assemble at the table. It's sweet, sour, hot and crunchy all at once.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, 'grilled as you like it') is the pride of Osaka, where it's cooked on hot iron griddles in lively restaurants. Finely shredded cabbage is folded into a light batter with egg and spring onion, then fried into a thick, soft pancake with a crisp outside. It's painted with a fruity brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. Bonito flakes are usual on top; this vegetarian version uses seaweed flakes and pickled ginger instead. Chef's tip: don't press the pancake down with your spatula while it cooks. Osaka cooks leave it alone so the cabbage steams inside and stays light and fluffy; pressing squeezes out the air.
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
