Chhath Puja is a festival of food and delicacies. There are many dishes that one can make at home and enjoy during this festival. Some of the best dishes that are specially made during this festival are:
- Thekua: Thekua is the most important and popular dish of Chhath Puja. It is a sweet snack made of wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee. The dough is kneaded with jaggery and ghee and then shaped into small balls or discs. The discs are then deep-fried in ghee until golden and crisp. The thekua is offered to the Sun God as prasad and also eaten by the devotees and their family and friends13.
- Kheer: Kheer is a sweet dish made of milk, rice, and sugar. It is cooked on low flame until the rice is soft and the milk is thick and creamy. It is flavored with cardamom, saffron, and nuts. Kheer is offered to the Sun God on the second day of the festival and also eaten by the devotees after breaking their fast13.
- Litti Chokha: Litti chokha is a savory dish made of wheat flour, sattu, and spices. The dough is stuffed with sattu and spices and then baked over charcoal or cow dung cakes. The litti is served with chokha, which is a mashed mixture of roasted brinjal, potato, tomato, onion, garlic, green chili, and mustard oil. Litti chokha is a staple dish of Bihar and is eaten on the first day of the festival13.