Chhath puja is a festival that intertwines faith, customs, and cuisines. From the sweetened thekua to tangy and spicy sita phal ki subji, the celebration of Chhath puja shows a vibrant display of devotion to the Sun and nutrition-packed foods in Indian culture. Traditionally celebrated in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, devotees fast for 4 days for the health and well-being of their kids. The festivities culminate with lip-smacking dishes that treat your taste buds and elevate your health. Read the following blog to learn more about Chhath puja and the delicious foods related to it.
What Is Chhath Puja All About?
Chhath Puja, one of the major festivals of India, is celebrated in most parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and by people across the nation. The days between 5 to 8 November will mark Chhat Pooja 2024. Dedicated to worshipping the Sun for seeking blessings to keep the family healthy and wealthy, this auspicious day is observed by taking dips in the holy waters of Ganga. People also keep fast for the well-being of their families. The day celebrates the kind act of the Sun lord and his wife for granting life on earth. On the occasion of Chhath Puja, people make traditional regional dishes like laddu, thekua, kheer, etc., that are offered to the lord Sun and enjoyed with families and friends. To celebrate the festival this year, we have brought you some traditional dishes. So, scroll down for more Chhath puja information.
Healthy Dishes For Chhath Puja Offerings
One unique fact that makes Chhath puja foods stand out is that devotees take utmost cleanliness and purity while preparing them. It is made without using tamasic ingredients like garlic or onion. Chhat Pooja 2024 can be made memorable with these healthy recipes which you can enjoy with your family and loved ones:
Kheer
Ingredients
- Basmati rice (short) – 200gm
- Milk – 2 and 1/2 litre
- Elachi – 1/2 teaspoonful
- Sugar or jaggery as per taste
- One pinch of saffron powder (optional)
- 2 teaspoonfuls of raisins & cashew nuts
Method
- Soak and wash rice in water. Boil the rinsed rice in milk at a low flame. Stir continuously; don’t let the rice stick to the base.
- When the rice is cooked, add sugar and mix well. If you like, add saffron.
- After a sticky consistency of rice and milk, turn the flame off and let the kheer cool off.
- Garnish the kheer with cashew nuts & raisins.
Benefits: This energy-booster food is perfect for breaking the rigorous 4-day fast. Topped with dried fruits this provides the essential fatty acids that are needed to promote health and wellness. You can have dessert hot or cold.
Lal Saag
Ingredients
- A bunch of Red Spinach
- Red chilli – 1 or 2 whole
- Turmeric -1/3 teaspoon
- Ginger (1/2) – chopped finely
- Salt – to taste
- Cooking oil – 1 teaspoon
Method
- Clean the leaves, remove the hard stalks, and chop the red spinach thoroughly.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan; add the ginger and red chillies. Sauté well on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes
- Now, add the spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Turn the heat to low, add turmeric and mixwell. Cover with a lid and cook well for 10 minutes.
- If it is sticky or dry, add some water.
- Add salt to taste.
- Take it off the flame and serve hot with chapatis or parathas.
Benefits: Red spinach is abundant in vitamins and electrolytes needed for muscle functions and cognitive health. Moreover, the spices like turmeric, ginger, and red chilli are well-known for enhancing metabolism, perfect for your digestion and weight management. Moreover, the antioxidants in this spinach are excellent for combating inflammation in the body.
Thekua
Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Flour – 500 gm
- Jaggery (Gur) or sugar – 300 gm
- Coconut – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
- Ghee (or Vegetable Oil)
- 4-5 Green Cardamom, peeled & mashed
- 1.5 cup Water
- Vessel to make Thekua
Method
- Make a watery solution of jaggery, water, and green cardamom.
- Add 4 tablespoons of ghee to the solution and mix it with the wheat flour with chopped coconut and knead the dough.
- Take pieces of the dough and make balls. Now, press it in the vessel to make thekua.
- Once the thekua has taken shape, deep fry it in ghee till golden brown.
- Filter out ghee and put thekua aside.
- After cooling off, serve the dish and enjoy.
Benefits: This is the most iconic dish of Chhath pooja. This crispy, sweet cookie-like dish is perfect for satisfying hunger pangs. Traditionally jaggery is a natural sweetener that is loaded with iron and antioxidants, as per a 2023 study. Its consumption is considered best for immunity and blood health. It is made from whole wheat flour, making it rich in fibre for digestive health
Sita Phal ki Subji
Ingredients
- Pumpkin (finely chopped)
- Ginger
- Coriander powder
- Sugar
- Raw mango (amchoor) powder
- Garam masala
- Asafoetida
- Turmeric powder
- Fenugreek seeds
- Chilli powder
- Vegetable Oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek, asafoetida seeds, and cumin seeds.
- When seeds start to crackle, add ginger.
- Now, add pumpkin and green chillies and stir fry until the pumpkin becomes tender.
- Add salt, garam masala, turmeric, and chilli powder and cook the ingredients over medium flame.
- Now, add raw mango powder (amchoor) and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Take it off the flame, garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Benefits: The hero ingredient of this dish is pumpkin, which is a rich source of beta-carotene, as per NCBI. Consuming it is known to boost eye health and immunity, the spices like ginger, chilli powder, asafoetida, etc., enhance the taste, accelerate metabolism, manage cholesterol levels, and improve circulation. The tangy amchoor powder infuses a healthy dose of vitamin C in this dish that improves skin health and digestion.
To Sum Up
Chhath Pooja, being such an important festival, is incomplete with the richness of foods like thekua, sita phal ki subji, lal sag, and kheer. These varieties of foods delight you with their spicy, tangy, and sweet flavours, for a wholesome feasting. With these foods Chhath puja benefits your health and satisfies your cravings. Prepared with utmost cleanliness and healthy ingredients, these Chhath puja foods improve metabolism, provide essential nutrients, and maintain your overall health and wellness.
