Chhath puja is celebrated with huge pomp and show in states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. It is a festival that involves difficult fasting, several big and small rules and traditions and like all Indian celebrations, amazing food. One of the main prasads made and distributed after chhath is thekua. It is a crispy, crumbly wheat snack that is offered as prasad post the final aragh of chhath pooja. They are mostly made by deep frying in desi ghee. Thekua is sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. They have a very long shelf life and can be stored in air tight containers for weeks and even months. Having thekuas with different textures and flavours from different households celebrating chhath is one of the major attractions of the festival.
Thekua has gotten its name from the way it is made – the origin behind the name can be traced back to the phrase thhuka hua, which means something that it beaten to shape it. The one and only rule to be followed while making thekua for chhat is that only the family members of the matriarch doing the chhat pooja are allowed to be involved in the process. Those who attend all the days of the pooja get the thekua and sugarcane prasad, while the rest get it delivered to their homes in small packets.
This chhath pooja, you can try to make different varieties of thekua, using the below recipes. All three recipes are unique and have different ingredients and well as methods to cook them.
Coconut Thekua
There is hardly any Indian dessert whose taste won't get better by adding coconut to it and thekua falls under the same category. Follow the recipe to make the best coconut thekua.
Choco Banana Thekua
This recipe is for all of you who try to experiment with authentic recipes to match your taste palette. An instant hit with kids, chocolate and banana thekua is just the right amount of tradition and risque. Here is the recipe for the same.
Oats Thekua
For all you health freaks out there, we have this special thekua made with oats ad jaggery. Although festive season is when you eat to your heart’s content, our choices can definitely be healthier. So, follow this recipe to make a healthy and delicious oats thekua.
These thekua recipes are traditional, but with a twist. They would be the perfect addition to your festive plate and help you celebrate your favourite festival the way you like.