Not Just Thekua: Why Gur Ki Kheer Is An Important Prasad For Chhath Puja And How To Make

Thekua is an important prasad for Chhath Puja but the festival is also incomplete without Gur Ki Kheer and its sweet aroma. The  jaggery rice pudding is offered as the most loved prasad to Chhathi Maiya and Surya Dev. Unlike normal kheer, this one has no sugar. 

Why Is Gur Ki Kheer an Important Prasad For Chhath Puja?

Gur Ki Kheer, also known as Rasia, is an important and sacred prasad prepared on the second day of Chhath Puja. As per beliefs, the milk and rice used in the kheer symbolise the moon, whereas jaggery (gur) represents the sun.

The dish is paired with ghee-laden whole-wheat rotis, which becomes a wholesome, calorie-dense meal that provides sustained energy, iron, potassium, and calcium before the 36-hour nirjala fast.

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Gur Ki Kheer Recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Full-cream milk: 1 litre
2. Rice: 1/4 cup (soaked for 30 mins)
3. Jaggery (Gur): 3/4 cup, grated
4. Ghee: 1 tsp
5. Cardamom (Elaichi): 3-4, crushed
6. Cashews, almonds, raisins: 2 tbsp, chopped

How To Make:

1. Cook the rice: Boil milk in a heavy kadhai on a low flame and add soaked rice and bay leaf. Keep stirring in between so it does not stick.
2. Let it thicken: Cook on a low flame for 30-35 mins till rice is soft and the milk becomes thick and creamy. The kheer should reduce to almost half.
3. Add dry fruits: Add ghee, cardamom and dry fruits. Cook for 2 more mins and then turn off the gas.
4. Add jaggery: Let the kheer cool for 5-7 mins. It should be warm and not boiling hot. Add grated jaggery and mix well till it dissolves completely. Never add jaggery to boiling milk; the kheer will curdle.
5. Serve: Serve warm in a bowl or steel bowl for prasad. Garnish with more dry fruits. You can store it in the refrigerator as well.

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Whether you offer it on Kharna night or after the morning Arghya, this one bowl of kheer carries the whole sweetness of Chhath, devotion, family and tradition.

(Image Credits: Pinterest)
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