It has been my long time wish to make Tea Kadai style Thengai Biscuit at home! I have fond memories of having these coconut biscuits from the only bakery in our locale growing up. They were called as Coconut Macaroons and we loved them. These biscuits are also very popular in tea stalls, to be munched with hot tea! Although I have never had them from a tea stall per se, I have seen them wrapped up in news papers or stacked beautifully in large glass jars. Last week I finally got around making these at home.
There are only three main ingredients to make Tea Kadai Thengai Biscuit – Fresh Coconut, Egg White and Sugar. Green Cardamom is used to flavor these coconut biscuits. One of the reasons why I kept pushing this recipe out is because it is not possible to skip egg whites. Having gone completely eggless with all my baked goodies, I didn’t want to use egg. These Coconut Macaroons cannot be made without egg whites. But with cardamom flavor, it doesn’t taste eggy at all. Without any butter or oil, these cookies turn really rich!
How to make Thengai Biscuit | Coconut Macaroon | Coconut Biscuit
📖 Recipe
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Thengai Biscuit | Coconut Macaroon | Coconut Biscuit
Dry roast the fresh grated coconut for 4-5 mins on low flame until it is dry. Make sure not to change the color of the coconut.
In a mixing bowl, add egg white from one egg. Whisk it until it is frothy for 2-3 mins on low speed.
Add powdered sugar in batches and whisk it on low speed for another couple of minutes. Add cardamom powder and mix it in.
Now add roasted fresh coconut. Fold it in gently.
Add All Purpose Flour and fold it in as well.
Preheat the oven at 180°C and meanwhile set the cookie mix in fridge to firm up for 20 mins at the least.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a tablespoon cookie dough each minimum 2 inches apart on the sheet.
Bake them at 180°C for 15-18 mins until the bottom turns golden brown. Toast them for couple of minutes to get color on top.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Store them in an airtight container and consume within a week.
Recipe Notes
You can also use desiccated coconut, but the taste wont be the same as fresh coconut. You can also use vanilla essence instead of cardamom powder. Keep a close watch on the oven after 15 mins as the cookies can burn very easily.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
