Fiery, rustic, and unapologetically bold—thecha is more than just a condiment; it’s an emotion deeply rooted in Maharashtrian kitchens. And no one captures its spirit quite like Suvarna Vijay Bagul, fondly celebrated as “Thecha Queen.” With her inventive flair and deep respect for tradition, she has transformed this humble chilli-garlic crush into a canvas of flavor.
In this exclusive feature, Suvarna presents five unique thecha recipes that beautifully blend authenticity with innovation. Each variation pays homage to the classic while introducing unexpected twists—proving that even the simplest dishes can be reimagined into something extraordinary. Prepare to experience thecha like never before—bold, versatile, and irresistibly delicious.
5 Bold Thecha Recipes
Dry Bombil Thecha
Ingredients
- Dry bombil (Bombay duck)
- Green chillies
- Garlic
- Fresh coriander
- Oil
- Salt
- Kokam
Method
- Clean bombil, cut into small pieces, wash at least 2 times, and drain
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the bombil until crispy
- Roast green chillies (with or without oil)
In a mixer:
- First grind fried bombil coarsely. Add chillies, garlic, coriander, salt, and grind coarse
- Heat a little oil in the same pan:
Add the ground mixture and cook till slightly golden
Add kokam and mix well
Fresh Green Chana Thecha + Veg Rice
Ingredients For Thecha:
- Fresh green chana (peas)
- Green chillies
- Garlic
- Salt
- Oil
For Rice:
- Oil
- Cumin seeds (jeera)
- Carrots (chopped)
- Bell pepper (chopped)
- Cooked rice
- Salt
Method
- Fry green chana (peas) in a pan until slightly cooked
- In another pan, heat some oil
- Add green chillies, garlic, and salt, and fry well
- Transfer everything to a mortar and pestle
- Add fried peas and crush into a coarse powder thecha
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter
- Add the prepared thecha and fry well
- Add chopped carrots and bell peppers, and cook slightly
- Add cooked rice and salt
- Mix everything well and cook for 2–3 minutes
Green Chilli Thecha
Ingredients
- Light green chillies
- Green chillies
- Garlic
- Fresh coriander
- Salt
- Oil
Method
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add light green chillies and green chillies, fry until slightly blistered
- Add garlic and sauté well
- Transfer everything to a mortar and pestle
- Add salt and coriander
- Crush into a coarse powder thecha
- (Optional) Heat a little oil in a pan
- Add the thecha and lightly sauté for enhanced flavor
Jackfruit Seed Thecha
Ingredients
- Jackfruit seeds
- Green chillies
- Garlic
- Fresh coriander
- Salt
Method
- Boil water in a pan and add jackfruit seeds with salt
- Cook until 80–85% done
- Remove, peel the outer skin, and keep aside
- Place jackfruit seeds and green chillies directly on the gas
- Roast over an open flame until lightly charred
- Transfer roasted jackfruit seeds to a mortar and pestle
- Crush coarsely and remove
- In the mortar and pestle, add garlic and green chillies
- Crush into a coarse mixture
- Add back the crushed jackfruit seeds
- Add coriander and salt
- Mix everything well to form a coarse thecha
Mango Thecha
Ingredients
- Raw mango
- Red chillies (chopped)
- Coriander stems (chopped)
- Garlic
- Oil
- Cumin seeds (jeera)
- Sesam seeds
- Red chilli powder
- Coriander powder
- Salt
- Lemon juice
Method
- In a mortar and pestle, add chopped red chillies, coriander stems, and garlic
- Crush into a coarse paste
- In another mortar batch, add raw mango and crush coarsely
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add cumin seeds and sesame seeds, let them splutter
- Add red chilli powder and coriander powder, sauté briefly
- Add the crushed chilli-garlic mixture to the pan
- Add crushed raw mango
- Add salt and mix well
- Turn off the heat and add lemon juice
- Mix well to form a coarse thecha
With every fiery crush and creative twist, these thecha recipes prove that tradition isn’t just preserved—it’s passionately reimagined, one bold flavour at a time.