Meetha Satta or Sweet Thor is an authentic Gujarati sweet. It is simply made by dipping a flaky, buttery pastry made with flour and ghee into a sugar glaze. This glaze hardens into a thick white crust and the two textures are phenomenal together.
Thor, also known as Devta Saata is most often served during Diwali or served to Lord Krishna during the Hindu New Year.
It is often the simplest recipes are the most fantastic and it is definitely true of this Gujarati Thor. Similar to the Indian sweet Khaja or Meethi Khajali (which is often prepared for Dussehra), Thor is prepared by coating pastry in a thick sugar syrup, almost like sugar glazed donut!
Ingredients
For the pastry
- Plain flour - you will need all-purpose flour for this recipe
- Ghee - you will need pure butter ghee, aka desi ghee, for the best results. You can use homemade, or shop bought. Ghee is used in the dough and to deep-fry as well. Alternatively, you can use a flavourless oil to deep fry with
- Milk - to bind the dough
For the sugar glaze
- Sugar
- Water
- Milk - optionally, add a dash of milk to the glaze
To decorate (all are optional, use all or some of the below)
- Chopped pistachios
- Rose petals
- Edible silver foil/chandi varq
How to make Meetha Satta/Thor
Firstly, you need to prepare the pastry:
In a large plate or bowl, add the flour and the ghee and rub the ghee into the flour using your fingers. This technique helps to shorten the dough and give you that crumbly, flaky texture.
Once the ghee is well incorporated, add the milk little by little and make a stiff dough. The dough will be hard and can easily crumble. That is ok. We are not looking for a smooth soft dough.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes.
Divide the dough into equal golf size balls.
Roll out each ball into a small round shape with around ¼ inch thickness. You can use a cookie cutter to get a perfect circle or simply keep the shape you have rolled out.
Prick all over with a sharp knife or fork. Set aside.
Heat ghee (or oil if using) in a kadai/pan on a medium heat.
Gently, place a few rounds into the ghee and reduce the heat to low.
Deep-fry the rounds and turn over gently to ensure even cooking. When they are lightly brown, remove and leave to drain and cool. Repeat for each of the pastries.
Keep the heat low or else the pastry will burn from the outside and not cook from the inside
Allow to cool completely.
Next, make the sugar glaze
Before you start making your syrup, keep a baking tray with parchment paper ready. Spray the tray with cooking oil so that the pastries do not stick once they are coated in the glaze.
To make sugar glaze, take a non-stick pan. We need to make a very thick sugar syrup that will become white as it dries.
Add the sugar and water and heat on medium flame. It will seem as if there is barely any water but as the sugar dissolves, it will release its own moisture. We need a thick sugar syrup for this recipe.
Keep stirring and let the sugar dissolve completely.
Allow the syrup to thicken.
Add a teaspoon or two of milk and switch off the heat.
Next, glaze the thor
Now, quickly drop the pastries one by one into the sugar syrup and coat completely and place them on the greased baking sheet.
Repeat this for every pastry. Work fast.
The syrup may begin to crystallise, so heat it again to loosen it. Add a teaspoon of water if needed.
Whilst the glaze is still warm, sprinkle the nuts, rose petals if using.
Allow the glaze to set for at least an hour. You will see the thor beginning to go white.
Once the glaze has set and hardened, they are ready to eat!
Storage
Meetha Satta can be made ahead of serving.
They are best stored in airtight containers to retain their flakiness. They will keep well for up to a week before they go soft.
More Diwali Recipes
Anjeer, Chocolate and Cashew Rolls
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Thor | Meetha Saata
Ingredients
Sugar Glaze
- 2 cup sugar regular granulated
- 8 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoon milk
Garnish
- 4 tablespoon pistachio slivered
- 2 tablespoon rose petals
Instructions
- Place flour in a plate, add ghee and rub flour and ghee with your fingers.
- Combine well, start adding milk little by little and knead a stiff pliable dough.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes.
- Divide dough into small golf size balls.
- Roll out small round shape puri, thicker than normal puri.
- Prick with the sharp knife or fork.
- Heat ghee on a medium heat, GENTLY place in a couple of rounds and turn the heat on low.
- Very gently fry rounds till nice and brown, it will take about 5-6 minutes.
- Remove from the ghee and continue until all of the thor have fried.
- Keep each thor separated on a thali.
- Let them cool completely.
- Take a couple of baking sheet, greased little oil on it, by doing this THOR will not stick to on the tray.
- To make sugar glaze take a non-stick pan.
- Add sugar and water, heat sugar on a medium heat.
- Keep stirring and let the sugar dissolve completely.
- Let the syrup go very thick.
- Add milk and switch off the heat.
- Now quickly drop thor one by one into glaze and coat completely and put them on a greased baking sheet.
- Sprinkle rose petals and pistachio nuts.
- Let the glaze set about an hour or so.
- Once the glaze is set, THOR will be white.
- Store in an airtight container.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Lathiya says
Diwali is one of the occasion we have eagerly waited as little ones(even now) to wear new dress and burst crackers...and lap to devour sweets...this reminds of badhusha...looks scrumptious
Sasmita says
New for me this dish is 🙂 As always clicks are wow !!!!!! LOve to try this sweet soon ..... lovely share 🙂
Maria Nasir says
The description and the clicks just took my breath away! What a treat for the senses - decadent, delicious and so indulgent!
code2cook says
Looking absolutely royal sweet. We make this kind of mathris which I had only in marriages. With such sweets Diwali will be double celebration.
spoonsofflavor says
This recipe is new for me. But these looks so good..surely a treat for Diwali.Love those topings 🙂
Anshu says
I too am greatly fond of Saata and often make it during the festive season, especially on karvachauth and Diwali. Needless to say, Yours look absolutely delish and mouthwatering with mind blowing photography as always.