Chhath food looks simple, and that's exactly why it's hard. No onion, no garlic, no shortcuts, no tasting while you cook. One wrong move and the whole thing feels off. We've watched families go quiet in the kitchen over a single batch of thekua. The recipes are short. The rules are long. Everything is cooked clean, offered first, and eaten after.
So here are the 10 dishes that show up in most Chhath kitchens, what each one is, when it's made, and the small mistakes that trip people up. Grab a chai. This is going to be a long one.