Ghee Jaggery Cookies (Nepali Baked Thekuwa)

Besides ghee, another star ingredient is jaggery – a popular unrefined sugar in South and Southeast Asia that typically comes from the sap of palm trees or sugar cane juice. Whether it comes from palm tree sap or sugar cane juice, the boiled and reduced liquid is the starting place for many different products. I get jaggery from an Indian grocery store and it is dark in color…and is slightly less sweeter than maple syrup but has a rich, brown sugar-like flavor.

Fennel, shredded coconut, and cardamom powder are added to the mixture and you are all set. All the ingredients can be probably purchased at an Indian grocery store and you can order your ghee from Pasture Ghee, which btw is made in small batches using organic butter.

Ghee Jaggery Cookies (Nepali Baked Thekuwa)

Makes: 1 dozen, regular size cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup jaggery
1/2 cup water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
~ 1/2 cup ghee
1/2 cup shredded coconut (use the dry, unsweetened kind)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1-2 tablespoon of warm water, as needed to knead the dough

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.

• In a small sauce pan over low flame, heat water and jaggery together until it melts then remove from heat. Set aside to cool down.

• In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, shredded coconut, cardamom powder, and fennel seeds. Add ghee in the dry ingredients bowl and mix in with a fork or hand until it forms a crumbly mixture.

• Gently pour in jaggery mixture into the large mixing bowl and use your hand to knead the cookie mix into a soft dough. Use 1-2 tablespoon of warm water if needed to bring the dough together. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator.

• Lightly grease your hand with ghee and take about 1 tablespoon of dough and flatten it out about 1/4 inch. You can use a fork to gently press and make a criss-cross pattern.

• Bake at 350 F for 15-17 minutes. For harder cookies, bake for additional 1-2 minutes.

• Transfer the cookies into a cooling rack as soon as you take it out of the oven. Brush with little ghee.

• Thekuwa can be stored in an airtight container for 7-10 days.

Note:

If you get jaggery in blocks, use a grater or knife to grate into powder.

I can’t wait for you to give “Ghee Jaggery Cookies” or Nepali Baked Thekuwa a try this holiday season. If you make this recipe, please do not forget to share and tag @foodpleasurehealth on instagram. You can also pin this recipe for future use.

PS : We’re raising money for our friends at Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through the end of December and here is a link to this year’s fundraising page.