Chhath Puja 2021: Here are some traditional recipes to consume this festive season

The festival of Chhath Puja is set to take place from 8 to 11 November this year. Dedicated to the Sun god Lord Surya and his sister Shashthi Devi or Chhathi Maiya, the festival is marked in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, as well as the southern part of Nepal, starting six days after Diwali. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and fervour across its four-day duration, with the third day, falling on 10 November this year, being marked as the main day of the festival. People undertake the rituals of fasting, standing in the holy river, and worshipping the setting and rising sun. The festival also sees several delicacies being prepared in honour of the Lord Surya. The festival is famous for the traditional sweets offered as prasad and the strictly vegetarian food prepared during the duration of the festival, which does not contain any common salt, onions, or garlic. Here are some traditional recipes to prepare for Chhath Puja 2021: Thekua: The most famous dish associated with the festival, this recipe is also called khajur or thikari. It is made from ghee, wheat flour, dry fruits, and sugar. The ingredients are made into a dough, which is later shaped into small tikkis and deep-fried. The sweet recipe is offered to Lord Surya after it has been prepared on the second day of Chhath Puja. Rasiyaw: The dish is actually rice kheer, with jaggery as a substitute for sugar. The dessert is prepared in a manner similar to regular kheer and is offered to Lord Surya before serving it to the devotees. Ghiya (bottle gourd) sabzi and rice: The festival also sees devotees consume bottle gourd sabzi and rice. The dish is prepared in pure ghee and rock salt on a traditional clay chulha (stove). The food is served along with pakoras and even pooris. Pooris: Poori is also made and consumed during the festival, along with sabzis such as bottle gourd and hara chana (green chana). The pooris are prepared with wheat flour dough and fried in pure ghee. Green chana: The dish is prepared using green chana that has been soaked overnight. The soaked chana is then cooked in ghee, with cumin seeds and green chilies added to the dish.