January − March 2019

Branding
Bihari Flavours
2 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
Content
January - March 2019

SAUV Publication 5

SAUV Publication 23

Sonali Kumar 9

SAUV Publication 27

SAUV Publication 13

SAUV Publication 19 SAUV Publication 31

Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 3
 WORDS FROM BIHAR FOUNDATION

In this seventh edition of Bihar Foundation’s quarterly

magazine - Man-Main-Bihar - we, as distinct from earlier six issues
that centered on literature, language, arts, crafts, performing arts,
Bollywood in that order, focus on the branding of Bihar through
cuisine. To reiterate, the underlying thread in all issues hitherto
has been destination branding and soft power positioning of Bihar.
Our endeavor in this issue is to bring out the nuances of Bihari
cuisine, as it evolved from Vedic period to the periods spanning
Mauryans, Guptas, Turks, Afghans, and British. The resultant rich
spectrum of vegetarian and non-vegetarian Bihari cuisines has
been detailed in the issue, without any claim of being exhaustive.
Every non-resident Bihari yearn for a regular supply of
Tripurari Sharan (CEO, Bihar Foundation)
cuisines from his native land; they are constantly on look out for
food joints, which are hygienic, reasonably priced, authentic and
of all serve not just Litti-Chokha; In the first chapter itself, an
attempt has been made to facilitate readers imagination beyond
Litti Chokha. The story of non-vegetarian food, snacks, and sweets
are equally exciting. A personal account of a lady IAS officer
turned cookbook expert in this issue may turn you nostalgic. Our
experience of handling social media to reach out to non-resident
www.biharfoundation.in
Bihari made us realize how food evokes the greatest emotional
response among all other subjects and therefore tops as a binding
Editor.in.Chief: Tripurari Sharan force.
Managing Editor: Uday Sahay
In general, we must confess that the readers’ response to the
Editor: Dr. Gopa Nayak

Associate Editor: Avinash Prabhakar

last six issues has been overwhelming, to say the least. Several
Project Supervisor: Ravindra Prasad (OSD, Bihar Foundation)
senior-most officials of Bihar government and influential Biharis
Editorial Coordinator: Vikash Sarkar (Bihar Foundation)
in Delhi and other parts of the country have placed demands on us
Honorary Editorial Advisers: Alakh Sharma,
for hard copies of the magazine. We have our digital footprints in
Aku Srivastava, Naleen Kumar Japan, Australia, America, Singapore, and Middle East countries
Deputy Editors: Sharanya Sahay among others abroad. Each time the issue of the magazine was
Production & Design Head: Sanjeev Kumar released on WhatsApp, it went viral and organically spread its
Brand Consultant: Aranya Sahay reach like wild fire through digital sharing.
Design Consultant: Kuldeep Kumar
You would recall that Bihar Foundation has taken 3 giant
Photo Consultant: Manish Kumar
steps in the last two years or so to reach out to the migrant Biharis:
E.Partner: DMACHS Technologies
it undertook the digital route through Facebook, Twitter, and
Legal Consultant: Abhishek Rai

Digital Consultant: Surendra Kumar

YouTube channel to expand its outreach. It embedded a monthly
Cover Picture Artiste: Anirban Bora
e-newsletter on Bihar Foundation’s website, and most importantly
it decided to document the soft power of Bihar – its language,
art, music, painting, food, and heritage among other culturally
binding constituents - in the form of a magazine that you have
before you right now. All these three steps, it is hoped, would help
all non-resident Biharis to become brand ambassadors of Bihar,
Disclaimer
The views expressed in various articles are those of the no matter which part of the globe they are in.
authors’ and not necessarily represent the views of Bihar
Foundation. Maps and flags used in the articles are
only indicative. They don’t reflect the political map or
legal representation of the flag of India or any other
country.Bihar Foundation does not own responsibility
regarding the contents of the advertisements.
Tripurari Sharan, IAS
 Bihari Cuisine Beyond
Litti-Chokha SAUV Publication
In the last two decades
I
ndia is a multi-cuisine
however, the rich and nation where every state
diverse food-culture offers something unique
for food connoisseurs.
of Bihar has been The uniqueness originates out of the
reduced to Litti- climate, natural habitat, society and
Chokha only, and culture of the state. Bihar economy
not much has been being primarily agricultural and the
fact that it is embedded in a highly
spoken about other fertile indo-gangetic belt, its food
dishes on the palette habits and cuisines have derived
that the state offers. their character and flavor accordingly.
While Litti-Chokha A diverse and rich menu flows as a
corollary, with its urban and rural
indeed is an authentic variations.
Bihari dish, tracing its
In the last two decades however,
origin to cattle rearing the rich and diverse food-culture
section of society in of Bihar has been reduced to Litti-
Bihar wherein it was Chokha only, and not much has been
baked on cowdung spoken about other dishes on the
palette that the state offers. While
cake . Litti-Chokha indeed is an authentic
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 5
Bihari dish, tracing its origin to cattle
rearing section of society in Bihar
wherein it was baked on cowdung cake
for few hours and, when fully baked,
dipped in abundantly found ghee in
such households. It was a healthy and
simple food – made of wheat flour
and crushed dry gram - that lasted for
few hours before full digestion. It was
so popular in the Bhojpuri speaking
rural belt that hordes of the first
generation Girmitia migrants carried
the dish with them to Carribean
countries, Fizi, Mauritius etc, and
then to Calcutta, and other parts of
India as second wave of migration. In
course of time the dish found political
patronage and its popularity had a
multiplier effect through social media
as well. The story of the food habits
and cuisines in the urban centres of
Bihar was different, but we will come
to that a little later in the issue.
Bihari Cuisine Beyond Litti-Chokha
To begin with, it is important
to know that Bihar, located in rice
belt, has been primarily a rice eating
state cutting across its communities,
which has many archeological
references. Archeological evidence
suggests that the farming practices
in Harappan civilization spread
over to the Gangetic basin in Doab
region – at the confluence of rivers
Ganga and Yamuna -which in course
of time started growing multiple
varieties of paddy, some of which was
of high quality. In her well-known
book ‘Feasts and Fasts: A history of
Food in India’, Colleen Taylor Sen
talks about this fertile land, the
existence of barley, wheat, rice and
its contribution to help build the new
community. The essential ingredients
of Bihari cuisines like ghee, rice, and
milk find mention even in Vedas of
Indo-Aryan era.
The rise of Buddhism and Jainism
gave rise to the tradition of vegetarian
culture in Bihar. Gautam Buddha’s
routine diet contained rice cooked
6 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
was vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
Hiuen Tsang Chinese monk who
traveled to India during seventh
century, was served a bowl of Patna
rice called Mahasali. He described it
thus: “Grain was as large as a bean,
and when cooked, was aromatic, and
shining like no other rice.” Mughal
chronicler AbulFazal has described
the rice cultivated in Patna as ‘even if
one grain of each variety was taken, it
would fill a large vase.’
Centuries-old journey of
Bihari cuisines flourished under
many empires and kept acquiring
its distinct flavor through a process
of assimilation. From Mauryan
Empire and Gupta’s golden era to the
advent of Turks, Afghans, Mughals
and European, Bihari cuisines have
imbibed the best from the kitchen of
these regimes while retaining their
traditional intrinsic food values. With
Bihar becoming the fulcrum of Sufi
tradition, the flavor and character of
Bihari cuisines got further nuanced.
The typical example is Biryani, a non-
vegetarian delight from Mughalai
cuisine, which acquired with regional
variation to become vegetarian
Biryani. In case of Kebab, Bihar
developed its own variation of Seekh
Kebab which is a gastronomic delight
for non-vegetarians in Bihar. Patna
Kebab of Patna city, Kebabs sold in a
roadside boutique hotel in Machhua
Toli of Patna, and Champaran meat of
Motihari are representative samples
with milk and honey. The Jataka
refers to Puva- a mixture of pounded
rice, milk, sugar, ghee and honey,
Pitha (rice cake) and Khajja for his
diet. However, the opinions regarding
restrictions on the eating meat in
Buddhism vary among sects. Japanese
Buddhist sects generally believe that
Buddha ate meat, but the Mahayana
sect followers reject the proposition
outright. The last meal offered to
Buddha by Chunda, a blacksmith
was a dish called Sukaramaddava
and it is still not settled whether it
of what exotic result fusion can bring
about. In vegetarian dish, Khichri
is credited to have its origin in the
kitchen of Mughal ruler Jehangir,
while Britishers also have added a
wide assortment of dishes such as
tea, soups and salads to the Bihari
food menu, especially in its urban
pockets. Civilizational contacts
were more pronounced in urban
areas and therefore the fusion
is more visible in such areas. In
general, the influence travelled from
urban to rural, with the exception of
Litti Chokha where we find influence
taking a reverse course.
Linguistically, Bihar can be
divided in 3 zones – Mithili, Magahi,
and Bhojpuri region. Each linguistic
zone has distinct food-habit that is
characterized by diverse ecology and
indigenous culture, passed on since
generations. However, the common
eating patterns include 3 meals a
day called breakfast (nasta), lunch
(Khana) and dinner (bhojan). Mithila
is marked for its distinct preference
for rice, fish, curd, and Paan. Magadh
region is known for its love for
Sattu and its Parantha variation; its
privileged menu included assorted
sweets like Tilkut, Khaja, Khoye Ka
Lai, may be because the region was
the core of one of the most prosperous
empires of the world for more
than thousand years. The Bhojpur
region’s cuisine uniqueness lie in
Litti-Chokha. Bhat-Daal-Chokha-
Tarkari remains constant variables
throughout the state however. The
distinct food pattern of each region is
detailed below.
Of Mithila
The staple foods of Mithila
region are mainly rice, wheat, milk,
curd,green and leafy vegetables. The
most influential community of the
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 7
Bihari Cuisine Beyond Litti-Chokha
region is of Brahmins who love eating
Chura-dahi (beaten rice and curd)
with a pinch of salt or sugar and achaar
in their breakfast. Mithila’s afternoon
meal majorly includes rice, combined
with pulses and vegetables, called
Bhat-dal-tarkari and accompanied by
the locally made pickle (achar) and
curd (dahi). Maithils are very fond
of milk or milk based dishes in every
meal. In dinner, they love to have roti
and sabji with vegetables and curd.
Two important accompaniment of
Mithila’s cuisine are dahi and machh
(curd and fish). Unlike the Brahmin
community of another state, Maithil
Brahmins are mostly non-vegetarian.
Among non-vegetarian dishes, fish-
curry - called Machh-Bhat locally
- is their top favourite. Considering
variety preference wise, Rohu fish
is favourite among Maithils, others
being Marramachh, Naini, Silwar,
Singhi and Bhakur fish. Maithils
however also enjoy mutton in non-
vegetarian menu. In Mithila, there
is a rich tradition of non-vegetarian
preparation on several festive
occasions. Holi in Mithila is not
considered complete without Maans
and Bhat (mutton and rice). The
description of Mithila cuisine would
be incomplete without the mention
of Machh, Makhan and Pan (fish, fox
nut and betel leaves). The saying goes
that Paan, Machh and Makhan are
not found even in the heaven, so one
8 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
should relish these on earth only, not
to regret later. Pan is a sweet betel leaf
that is taken after the meal.
Of Magadh
Among the grains consumed
in this region, rice ranks the first,
followed by wheat, Marua, and maize.
Ghatta, sattu and khichdi are the most
common dishes in Magahi region.
Among the main diets, Magahi people
enjoy Bhat (rice) and Roti (bread), and
Bhat is supplemented with dal and
roti with sabji. The subsidiary meal
of the region includes bhunja, puri,
kachauri, and sattuparatha. Sattu is
an essential part of Magahi kitchen.
Parantha stuffed with massalasattu
is also common in dinner in the
region. Irrespective of the linguistic
zone of the state, Saag is the common
food items in Bihari cuisine. Magahi
people also enjoy a wide variety of
Saag. Fish and meat are the principal
items of non-vegetarian food. Major
sweets of Bihar such as Khaja (Silao),
Tilkut (Gaya), Maner-Ka-Laddoo
(Maner) and KhoyeKa Lai (Nawada)
have their origin in Magadh region.
Food-habit of Bhojpur
region
Rice ranks top among staple food
for the natives of Bhojpur region.
Litti-chokha, tagged as the trademark-
food of Bihar, is indigenous to this
region. Breakfast in the region is roti-
based and includes whole wheat or
refined wheat flour like roti, parathas,
stuffed parathas and are paired with
sabzi and dahi. In lunch, they follow
the same pattern of bhat-dal-tarkari-
achar and dahi. Their dinner is also
roti based and is consumed with sabji.
Litti, grilled over charcoal or baked
on cowdung, also figures prominently
in their dinner. At some places, drinks
are prepared using sattu,
salt and chili in summer.
It makes for a refreshing
breakfast.Litti is paired
with chokha(smashed
boiled vegetables). Bhojpuri
peoples enjoy eating
both vegetarian and non-
vegetarian dishes. Daal,
sabji (green vegetables),
saag (leafy vegetables), and
in non-vegetarian food jhinga (prawns),
Machh (fish) and maans (mutton) are
major constituents of the regular diet of
this region.
Bihari food, no doubt, has
enriched its presence in metro
cities in last some years. The age
of digitalization has pushed Bihari
cuisine beyond the state, but the
absence of restaurant networks
serving Bihari food could easily be
felt in the cities outside Bihar. Litti-
Chokha has been tagged as the
common diet system of the state
whereas this dish forms only a small
part of Bihari cuisine. It is high time
that people stretch their imagination
beyond Litti-Chokha to understand
Bihari cuisine. n
An IAS Officer’s
Taste Of
Bihari Home
Cuisine
A
Friend of mine from
Kashmir looked at me
quizzically when she
heard I was writing about
Bihari Cuisine. She knew my recipes
were converted into 10 cookbooks,
some of which were international
bestsellers. But Bihari cuisine? Huh?!
What’s that?
“Is it not that Litti Chokha thing?”
She finally blurted out, hesitatingly.
I smiled because while she was
going gaga over my home food, little
did she realise that they were all,
intrinsically Bihari recipes, of course,
with a little modern twist.
Yes, I am proud to be born on
the banks of the river Ganga as a
true-blooded Bihari. I’m also proud
to have done all my schooling from
Patna, where after I moved to Delhi
for college and made it to the IAS.
Sonali Kumar
But coming back to food, I’m
grateful that my Bihari heritage had
drilled into me the mantra that if
you want to be healthy, just focus
on what you eat. The ability to cook
has otherwise fascinated me as
God’s greatest gift to mankind, one
that distinguishes us instantly from
animals. I have also felt grateful for
the opportunity to travel around
the world, to taste world cuisine,
and to appreciate why all cuisines
reflect the culture of the place they
come from and the ingredients that
are locally available. So, while olive
oil is an important ingredient in
Mediterranean cuisine, because olives
grow everywhere in that region, we
will be falling prey to some clever
marketing spin if we accept that olive
oil is superior to, say, our mustard oil.
In that little backdrop, I need
to assert that the Bihari cuisine
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 9
Toor Dal, or ArharDal
as it called in Bihar, is
also popular in many
regions of India. In
South India, it is turned
into Sambhar, which
is so popular that it is
served for all three meals
—breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. In Gujrat, use of
chillies in the preparation
of the same dal is often
tempered with sugar.
also reflects the simplicity and the
humility/moderation which is such
an integral part of the Bihari people.
That’s why you find that the spices or
the quantity of oil/ghee used therein
never drown the taste of ingredients
or overwhelm your taste buds.
But let me explain this further.
Toor Dal, or Arhar Dal as it called
in Bihar, is also popular in many
regions of India. In South India, it
is turned into Sambhar, which is so
popular that it is served for all three
meals —breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sambhar is spicy no doubt but what
distinguishes it is the liberal use of
tamarind and curry leaves. In Gujrat,
use of chillies in the preparation of
the same dal is often tempered with
sugar and lemon juice. However, go to
Maharashtra and you will find them
preferring a less sweet version of the
same Toor Dal.
10 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019

But when we come to Bihar, the
Toor Dal is cooked with just salt and
turmeric with sometimes tomatoes
added to it. It is then tempered with
desighee and cumin and garnished
with fresh coriander leaves. So simple
and yet so delicious! And this is not
just my Bihari bias speaking but the
numerous international reviews
that attest to the same sentiments
wherever my Toor Dal recipe has
been featured.
The non-vegetarian
tradition of Bihar
Half the population of Bihar is
vegetarian but the other half that is
non-vegetarian cooks some of the
best fish-fowl-mutton dishes I have
ever tasted. The Bihari kebabs are a
little different from the kebabs made
elsewhere. The distinct flavour, I
believe, comes from the unique use
of mustard oil for marination. For
the curry dish too, the mutton, which
comes from young goats (and not
lamb, which Biharis don’t like), is first
An IAS Officer's Taste of Bihari Home Cuisine
marinated in an onion-garlic-ginger
paste along with other spices, mustard
oil, and curd. Traditionally it was then
cooked on a slow fire. The addition
of desighee, fried onions, whole
cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon
adds to its deliciousness.
Khichdi (MixtureDish of
Rice, Lentil and Veggies)
Another complete meal
that Biharis like to eat especially
on Saturdays is Khichdi. This is
something we have been eating for
centuries. The story goes that when
Chandra Gupta Maurya was finding it
difficult to defeat Dhananada, the king
of Magadh, he had once taken shelter
in a house where he was served hot
Khichdi. A hungry Chandra Gupta
put his hand in the middle of the dish
and scalded himself. The lady of the
house rebuked him and said that he
was behaving like an idiot Chandra
Gupta who was always attacking the
centre and losing. Instead, he should
start nibbling from the sides, just as
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 11
you handle hot Khichdi. Chandra
Gupta did that, and the rest is history.
This shows how much Khichdi has
been integral to our culture.
Khichdi literally means a
mixture. In some form or another,
this is almost compulsorily prepared
for the festival of Makar Sakranti that
is celebrated all over India and Nepal.
This festival is also known as Pongal
in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Lohri
in Punjab or Uttarayan in Gujarat.
Interestingly, this is one of the
few Hindu festivals that falls on the
fixed day of 14 January, when the Sun
moves from the Tropic of Capricorn
to the Tropic of Cancer heralding the
arrival of spring and the beginning of
the harvest season.
It is believed that on this day,
Lord Surya (the Sun God) visits the
house of his son Shani (Saturn),
who is the lord of the Makar Rashi
(Capricorn) and the controller of
the quantum of misfortune befalling
humans. To appease Shani, therefore,
 An IAS Officer's Taste of Bihari Home Cuisine
many Indians prefer cooking Khichdi
on Saturdays which is also known as
Shaniwaror the day of Lord Shani.
Khichdi is otherwise the
most nutritionally complete dish,
consisting of carbs from rice, proteins
from lentils and vitamins from
veggies. Also, it is quite a JIFFY dish.
Other interesting aspects
of Bihari cuisines
A very interesting fact about
Bihari cuisine is that families mostly
eat at home or in the homes of their
relatives and friends, though dining
out is increasingly catching up in
cities at least. Eating out in restaurants
was not very popular, at least when I
was growing up in Patna. Perhaps
that is why typical Bihari dishes are
not easily available outside people’s
homes.
Bihar’s rich martial history
dating back centuries too has had
a strong influence on its cuisine.
Sattu and Litti-Chokha attest to that
wandering tradition. Carrying hung-
12 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
dried curd was another invention that
mixed with chiura (flattened rice)
could fill anyone up on-the-go easily.
So, Greek Yoghurt which has caught
the imagination of the world is the
normal dahi that is eaten in almost
any household in Bihar. Now, the
question is: did the Greek learn it from
us, from the time of Chandra Gupta
Maurya who married the daughter of
the Greek General Seleucus, or did
they teach us?
Debatable? Let’s take up another
dish then. In Turkey, I was once
surprised to be served a “salad”
of cucumber, tomato, onion, and
coriander, all chopped up in bite-
size pieces, and flavoured with lemon
juice and salt. Hey, this was the salad
my mom made at home. And this is
very different from the leafy lettuce-
filled salad that the Europeans make.
So, did the Turks (or rather the Greeks
who inhabited Turkey in the days of
Troy) took the recipe from us or vice
versa?
Even the British who ruled us
left their impact on some dishes.
Recently watching Gordon Ramsay
make his version of the scrambled egg
surprised me because it was so similar
to my home-style recipe. And yes, the
best caramel custard is still made in
Bihar.
Sadly, what I have been noticing
is that our cuisine is getting forgotten
even in Bihar. In a recent wedding,
I found a heavy influx of other so-
called popular cuisine including
Punjabi and Chinese. Gone were the
days when during weddings, we sat
eating on pattals (leaf plates) the best
Pooris, ChannaDal, Parwal, Kathal,
and other delicacies. Made me almost
home food sick.
Let us Biharis then resolve to put
our lovely food back on the pedestal it
truly deserves.n
(Sonali Kumar is a retired IAS officer, of
the 1979 batch of the Jammu and Kashmir
Cadre. Cooking is her hobby, which she has
tried to share through ten cookbooks that
she has co-authored with her son Prasenjeet
Kumar)
 Historical Journey of
I
nternational influence
of Italian, Chinese,
Thai, and Japanese
cuisines are shaping the
culinary taste of metro Indians
on the one hand, and Mughlai-
cum-Punjabi food, Bengali cuisines,
South Indian delights, or even
Kashmiri and North Eastern food
preparations dotting food plazas in
malls are overshadowing our urban
food preferences on the other. In
the race, the Litti-Chokha of Bihar
has emerged as the top street food
brand from Bihar, but Bihari cuisine
is yet to mark its presence in the
fine dining category so far. Lack of
SAUV Publication
standardization, poor packaging, no
marketing and branding are some of
the attributable reasons for lack of our
marked presence in food industry,
but the silver lining is the great
civilizational continuity that Bihar
has been been blessed with and it is
time that we peep into it.
The culinary history of Bihar
can be traced back to the days of
wonder that was Pataliputra, which
was New York of the world for over
1000 years. A highly sophisticated
urban centre that it emerged as and
sustained for centuries brought in
the best of cultural influences from
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 13
across the world, including food
and cuisines. The Maurya period
watched by Greeks, the Gupta
dynasties, Afghans, Turks, Moghals,
and finally the Britishers – all left
their gastronomic foot-prints on the
land and the people. The hallmark of
Bihari cuisine is that it has stood the
test of time and has imbibed the best
from the cuisines of rulers that once
ruled the land.
Season-based food is another
speciality of Bihari cuisine that
includes the changing food-pattern of
Biharis in every season. Bihari thaali
changes as per the season, however
14 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019

chawal and roti occupy the prominent
places. Even roti (bread) has several
variations in Bihari kitchen; Bihari
uses wheat-flour for roti in summer
and rice-flour in winter. Maalpua
adds flavour to the kitchen in summer
while dal-pittha and dalpuri brings
aroma to the kitchen in winter. In
dessert menu, Bihar has several
mouth-watering sweet dishes to its
credit. Some regions of the state
have produced unique dishes which
are known with their places of
origin like Maner Ka Laddu, Silao
Ka Khaja etc.
Here is a list of some highly
popular and preferred sweets, snacks,
and dishes from Bihar that makes
Bihari cuisine bouquet much sought
after. These are the preferred items
unique to Bihar, some of which
require to be carefully selected for
standardization, packaging, branding,
and marketing.
1. Khaja of Silao: Khaja, a
unique sweet dish of Bihar, is said to
have been originated in Silao area of
Nalanda region. Khaja is said to have
been named by the Lord Buddha
while he was served this dessert.
The batter is prepared from wheat
flour, Mawa and oil. It is then deep
fried until crisped and thereafter it is
soaked in sugar syrup.
Historical Journey of Bihari Flavours
The hallmark of Bihari
cuisine is that it has stood
the test of time and has
imbibed the best from the
cuisines of rulers that once
ruled the state like Turks,
Afghan, Mughals and of
late Europran culture.
Another speciality of Bihari
cuisine is whether-centric
or season-based food.
Bihari thaali changes as
per the season, however
Chawal and Roti occupy
the prominent places.
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 15
2. Gaya’s Anarsa and Khoye-
Ka-Lai: The land of salvation- Gaya
– is also famous for a special type of
Khoya based sweet called Anarsa.
This sweet dish is made of powdered
rice, sesame seed, Khoya and jaggery
or sugar. The dessert is made in two
shapes–thin disk and spherical. Sesame
seeds are finally embedded on this
sweet that serves as toppings. Khoye-ka-
Lai similarly is a mouth watering sweet,
sold in Dhanarua on Patna-Gaya road.
3. Tilkut of Gaya: Tilkut is the
most popular sweet snack of Bihar
during winter. But, tilkut of Gaya
region is quite famous as this sweet
originated here. Sesame seeds are
poured in thick sugar syrup and
mixed till the mixture turns hard.
The mixture is then shaped into a
spherical shape and served. These
sweet flavoured round balls are
made up of Lai which is known as
Raamdaana in Bihar.
4. Balushahi of Navada: Balushahi
is a traditional dessert of Indian
subcontinent which is known across
the nation. In south India, this sweet
is known as Badushah. Navada
district of Bihar is famous for its melt-
in-mouth Balushahi. The sweet is
filled with mildly sweetened khoya and
spices like cardamom and cinnamon
and is deep-fried in desi ghee.
 Historical Journey of Bihari Flavours
5. Laddu of Maner: The land of
Sufi saints Makhdoom Yahya Maneri
and Makhdoom Shah Daulat - known
as Bari Dargah (the great shrine) and
Chhoti Dargah (the small shrine)
- lies 24 km west of Patna and is
famous for Motichur ka Laddu. Once
emperor Babur halted here with his
convoy for one night and was served
Laddu as dessert in dinner. His
applause for this fine-shaped sweet
dish made the Laddu famous in the
region. The locals say that as the city
is situated on the confluence of Ganga
and Son rivers, water of this region
gets sweeten naturally which makes
the laddu special.
6. Mirjai of Fatuha: Fatuha lies
24 km east of Patna and is situated
on confluence of two rivers–Ganga
and Punpun. The city is known for its
unique sweet dishes Mirjai prepared
16 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
from maida, sugar and vegetable
oil, known for its sweet aroma since
pre-independence era. This unique
Bihari dessert has the privilege to be
served to late Prime Minister of India.
Once former Prime Minister Rajeev
Gandhi was on election campaign in
the city and was offered this dessert.
Late Prime Minister was so impressed
with the lip-smacking taste of Mirjai
that he ordered to send for the second
installment from Delhi.
7. Katarni Chura: Bihar has a
tradition of having Chura-Dahi on
Makar Sankranti. Bhagalpur region of
the state produces famous aromatic
Katarni rice which is famous not only
in the state but also outside. Chura,
beaten rice, made of Katarni rice is
famous for its aroma, which is unique
and lip smacking.
8. Litti Chokha of Bhojpur
region: This popular snack is native to
Bhojpur region of the state. This staple
food rose to prominence, as it needs
very less amount of water and could

be baked without using any utensils.
Another important characteristic is
that it could stay fresh for as long as
two to three days. Popular actor Amir
Khan and Hollywood actress Mandy
Moore have admired this mouth-
watering evening snack of Bihar.
9. Patna ka seek-kebab: Bihar is
equally famous for its luscious non-
vegetarian delights. Bihari flavour
of non-vegetarian cooking finds
mention in the memoirs of Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad. Patna’s famous
Mutton Kebabs have an equally rich
and historical origin. The aroma of
Mehngu’s Mutton Kebab in Machhua
Toli area in Patna is a spicy delight
for non vegetarians. His Great
Grandfather was a chef in the British
court.
10. Champaran ki Handi Meat:
The region of Champaran is famous
for a mutton grilled dish called Taash.
Historical Journey of Bihari Flavours
Handi meat has gained the fame for
its unique method of cooking and
its vital ingredients. A wholesome
mixture of mutton, onion, grind
spices and important ingredients
with mustered oil are placed into the
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 17
earthen pot on mild heated charcoal.
Also, the pot is sealed with wet flour
after putting the mixture inside.
11. Mithila’s pride: Last but not
least is Mithila region of the state
which has a saying that pan, maach
and makhan (betel leaves, fish
and fox nut) is not found even in
the heaven, so one should enjoy
these on earth only, not to regret
later. Maach-jhor (fish curry)
prepared with mustard powder,
onion and garlic is a gastronomic
delight for non-vegetarian. Mithila
produces traditionally these three
items machh, makhan and pan.
Several verities of fish are found
in abundance in Mithila. Pan is
a sweet betel leaf flavoured with
cardamom, clove, rose petals,
sugar crystal etc. and is taken after
the meal. n
Historical Journey of Bihari Flavours

18 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019

 Vegetarian
Dishes of Bihar
SAUV Publication

Being home to all major religions like Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Christians
and Muslims, an affinity towards vegetarian culture and meal is natural
among Biharis. Major populations of Bihar are involved in food-
production and its consumption. Bihar is, geographically, endowed
with fertile alluvial soil with abundant water resources which makes the
agriculture of Bihar rich and diverse.

T
he land of Buddha’s –
Bihar - has many unique
dishes in its vegetarian
menu to offer to visitors.
The food habits in Bihar are largely
influenced by cross-civilizational
and religious diversity of the state.
Majority populations in Bihar are still
involved in agricultural-production
since Bihar is geographically endowed
with fertile alluvial soil with abundant
water resources, which help making
its agriculture rich and diverse.
However, the annual flood crisis
has led people to develop a unique
traditional practice of preserving
foods and vegetables in different ways
for long, and that some vegetable
food items unique in terms of its shelf
life. The practice of making vegetables
like cauliflower, and mangoes in both
forms - raw and ripe - eatable for
long through drying up in sunlight
is unique to Bihar. Besides enjoying
ripe mangoes in its natural form, it
is consumed in other forms such as
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 19
Khatai and Aamot throughout the
year in Bihar. Such natural preservative
practices for making the item eatable
in all seasons make Bihari kitchen
unique. Adouri, Chanouri, Danouri
and Tisouri are some local relish which
figure prominently in vegetarian Bihari
dishes round the year.
People in Bihar are in the habit
of taking specific foods items in
morning called nasta (breakfast), in
afternoon called khana (lunch) and
at night named bhojan (dinner). Let’s
 Vegetarian Dishes of Bihar
take a quick round up to get the feel of
the famous Bihari vegetarian dishes.
Dal-Bhat: The main ingredient
of Bihari lunch is dal-bhat (rice and
pulse). A traditional lunch thali looks
like glistening dal-bhat, which is
basically pulse and rice, mildly spiced
Aloo-ki-Bhujia cooked in mustard
oil and achar. The fertile land of
Bihar produces several
varieties of pulses that
add specific aroma to
Bihari lunch (Khana).
The minimum menu in
the plate are steamed
rice (Bhat) and cooked
lentil soup (Dal), served
with seasonal vegetables
called tarkari in Bihar
in lunch. You can go on
adding supplementary
menus, depending on
your resources and time.
Khichdi: Recently-
earned title of national
dish, Khichdi is widely
consumed meal of Bihar. The state has
a traditional practice of having Khichdi
on every Saturday since the belief is
that its consumption on Saturday
keeps the bad influence of Saturn at
bay. A combination of Chawal-Dal,
pressure-cooked altogether for 4 to
5 whistles using Bihari household
20 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
spices like panchforna. Khichdi tastes
superb with dahi (curd), Papad, ghee
and achar – called 4 thick pals of
Khichadi. “Dahi-Papad-Ghee-Aachar
– Khichdi-Ke-Chaar-Yaar. Though
khichdi is favourite throughout the
northern India, Bihar has its own
variation to make one craving.
Khichadi has few variations; it could
be watery, or pasty, or even dry.
Khichadi is a must-eat item on Makar-
Shakranti, when it is accompanied by
Chura-Dahi-Tilkut.
Kadhi-Badi-Bhat: Another
culinary formulation of Bihari
cuisine is Kadhi-Badi-Bhat. Badi is a
traditional blend of yogurt in spice
masala to make a creamy kadhi (gravy)
and besan (gram flour) dumplings.
This mouth-watering Kadhi-badi-
bhat has obtained propitious status
as is cooked on every auspicious
occasion and whenever a guest visits.
Chura-Dahi: A healthier option
for breakfast and lunch in Bihar, this
dish involves no cooking. Chura-
Dahi (Beaten rice and
curd) is an essential-
to-have meal on Makar
Sankrati. Dahi, being
considered auspicious,
has a permanent place
in Bihari kitchen.
Chura (Beaten rice) in
its several forms is the
popular evening snack
of the state. Chura-Dahi
is served with seasonal
vegetables and a pinch
of sugar or jiggery in
Bihar. Tilkut addition
completes the circle.
Sattu-Paratha:
Though, the name -
Sattu- was outlandish to non-Biharis
few decades back; it has gained
currency for its nutrition values now.
Protein-rich Sattu is used in regional
cuisine in varying degrees. Sattu
when mixed with salt and water is a
great morning drink, and it becomes

substitute for vegetable when used
as Bharta in semi-solid form. Sattu
Paratha is the most common breakfast
and dinner in Bihar. Paratha is made
with stuffing spiced Sattu in wheat
dough balls and is rolled and cooked
with ghee. Sattu paratha is served with
mango pickles and baigan-bharta, or
with curd or watery vegetables.
Puri-Bhujiya:
Bihari version of french
fries, bhujiya packed
with flavor and taste is
common to every dish
in lunch and dinner.
This simple yet crunchy
Aloo-Bhujiya goes well
with dal-chawal too.
Puri, called Kachauri
in Bihar, is made with
wheat flour, semolina,
carom seeds, kalonji, salt
and oil/ghee and dough
is deep-fried to make
it crusty. At times it is
stuffed mildly with palak
for giving different look.
Vegetables specialties in
Bihar
Aaloo Chokha: Aaloo-chokha
is one of the side dishes, served
additionally in thali in lunch and
dinner. However, the combination of
bhat-dal-chokha is a most-loved meal
for those who do not want to spend
time in kitchen like bachelors. The
tempting aaloo-chokha is prepared
by mashing the boiled potato and
adding spices with raw onions,
garlicand mustard oil which helps
create the authentic flavours of Bihar.
Aaloo-chokha could have all raw
supplements of onion, tomato, green
chilly, and mustard oil. Or it has mix
of processed onion, red chilly, garlic,
and salt – all ingredients are cooked
in mustard oil before mashing them
with boiled potatoes.
Aaloo-Bhujiya: Paired with
dal-chawal, paratha and puri, aaloo-
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 21
Vegetarian Dishes of Bihar
bhujiya is simple and easy-to-cook
dish and requires common ingredient
available in kitchen pantry without
involving any complex cooking
process. Chopped potatoes mixed
with turmeric power and cumin seed,
season with salt, is cooked till it turns
red and crispy.
Bharwan-Karela: Stuffed bitter
gourd or Bharwan-karela as
is called in Bihar is prepared
in a unique and traditional
style in Bihari kitchen. Pulp is
removed from boiled Karela
and is fried in mustard oil
with chopped onion, garlic,
panchforana (Bihar’s special
spices of five types) and
pinch of salt. After cooling
for sometimes, this paste is
stuffed in empty karela and
deep fried. The taste comes
from the addition of fennel
and raw mango in the paste.
The stuffed Karela should be
cooked in gravy prepared
with mustard powder in a heavy
bottom broad pan on slow flame
without stirring too much. A healthier
option for people suffering with
diabetes, heart disease, constipation,
this dish is a summer special in Bihar.
Sahjan ki Sabji: Sahjan
(drumstick) is known for its medicinal
qualities. Sahjan in Bihari cuisine is
 Vegetarian Dishes of Bihar

prepared with mustard power and

garlic which gives the fish-like aroma.
Scraping the upper tough part of
sahjan or moniga, as is called in north
region of the state, is cut in several parts
and sauté on medium heat. Sahjan is
cooked with potatoes in Bihar.
Baigan ka Chokha: Chokha is
referred as Bharta in Bihar. Baigan ka
chokha is a traditional Bihari recipe
which is made by roasting brinjal on
open flame and then mixing it with
raw onions, garlic and green chilies.
Usually chokha is topped with some
raw mustard oil for that extra zing. It
is generally served with litti but can go
with any types of meal like daal-chawal.
Baigan-Adouri-Ki-Sabji: Bihari
kitchen uses baigan (Brinjal) in
multiple forms. Most popular forms
of baigan include Baigan-ki-Bhujiya,
Baigan-Chokha and Baigan-ki-sabji.
Adouri is mandatory to accompany
baigan in Bihari style of cooking of
Baigan-ki-sabji. Adouri is small ball
prepared by drying up small besan
dough in sunlight.
Ole-Ki-Chutney: Mustard
flavoured Ole-ki-chutney (Jivikand in
Hindi and Yam in English) is special
side dish which usually is served
in lunch. A rich source of Omega 3
and anti-aging property, Ole is also
consumed as proper curry-vegetable
with mustard powder in Bihar. Ole is
boiled, mashed and infused with oil,
spices and lemon juice. This chutney
is a side dish which can be stored in
the refrigerator for two/three days
and can be served with delicious
lunch and dinner.
Kathal Kebab: A vegetarian
kebab made of Kathal(jackfruit), this
dish tastes like non-vegetarian kebab.
The paste of jackfruit, prepared by
grinding, is mixed with all kinds
of spices. Onions and tomatoes are
mixed well to the paste. The paste is
deep fried in the form of flat balls that
gives the flavor of mutton-kebab. n
22 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
Delicacies
of Bihar
B
Unlike Oriya and ihar cuisine offers a wide
Bengali sweets, which range of sweet dishes
are soaked in sugar and dessert delicacies
that can make the hearts
syrups, and therefore, crave, especially if you
are wet, sweets from have sweet tooth. Bihari kitchen
Bihar are mostly dry. features desserts like Khoye-Ka-Lai,
Tilkut, Anarsa, Khaja, Chandrakala,
Dairy products are
Balushahi, Murabba, Malpua etc
consumed frequently which bring reminiscences of Bihar.
throughout the year The cuisines of Bihar have several
in the form of Dahi things in common with the culinary
and buttermilk traditions of other eastern states like
West Bengal, Odhisa, and Jharkhand
known as Mattha, which share border with Bihar.
Ghee, Lassi and However, unlike Oriya and Bengali
butter. sweets, which are soaked in sugar
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 23
SAUV Publication
syrups, and therefore, are wet, sweets
from Bihar are mostly dry. Besides,
dairy products in Bihar are consumed
frequently throughout the year in the
form of dahi and buttermilk known
as mattha, ghee, lassi and butter. Some
sweet delicacies of Bihar have made its
mandatory presence in the festivals.
Like, Holi is not considered complete
without Malpua in Bihar. Some of
the most savored desserts which can
surely leave craving for more are:
Anarsa: Though, this sweet
dessert has many variants in eastern
India, Bihari anaras is made using
rice flour, sugar and poppy seeds
and sesame. This delectable dessert
 Sweet Delicacies of Bihar

is a must during festive occasions

in Bihar. Gaya is famous for making
delicious mouth-watering anarsa.
Tilkut: It is another form of
famous Bihari laai which is made of
sesame seeds and jiggery. This sweet
savory snack comes with several
names like til ka laai, til ka tri and
tilwa in different parts of the state.
Tilkut is a must-to-have snack on
Makar Sankranti. Though common to
everywhere in Bihar, Gaya is especially
famous for crunchy tilkut.
Laai: Laai is unique to Bihar
only. Two variations of Laai – made
with beaten rice and puffed rice – is
common breakfast during winter in
Bihar. Jaggery syrup is poured all over
lightly fried beaten rice or puffed rice
and are shaped into sizeable balls to
prepare the laai. Ram dana is also
used for preparing laai.
Khaja: This wafer-like sweet
snack is made from flour and sugar,
is deep fried and then dipped in
hot sugar syrup. This most-loved
sweetmate is said to have been
named by Lord Buddha when he
was served this dessert. As the name
itself implies – Khaa Ja – means eat
it. Bihari Khaja resembles 2000-year-
old Baklava  of Ottoman Empire.
This unique dessert from Bihar is
wafery in texture and yet melts in the
mouth.   Another variant of Khaja is
called Belgrami which is found around
Arrah and Buxar region and is made
of milk solids (a form of cheese),
sugar and ghee.
Makhana Kheer: Fox nut,
which we call makhana in Bihar, is
an important ingredient for kheer in
Bihari kitchen. This sweet and creamy
dessert is considered auspicious in
Bihari culture and, thus, is prepared
on every festive occasion. Makhana is
roasted and cooked in condensed milk
and sweetened with sugar to tantalize
the cravings. Makhana is cultivated
traditionally in Mithila region of the state.

24 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019

 Sweet Delicacies of Bihar

Chandrakala: Bihari form

of  Gujia,  Chandrakala  is another
heavenly dessert for sweet-lovers in
Bihar. Stuffed with sweetened khoya,
coconut, cardamom powder and dry
fruits in a crispy round covering and
dipped in sugar-syrup, Chandrakala
is a must-try sweet dish of Bihar.
Laung-latika:  It is a traditional
dessert of Bihar which is prepared
during festive season. Although
similar to other stuffed delicacies like
Chandrakala, Launglata’s clove in the
centre and the crisp crust makes it
amazing to sweeten one’s sense.
Khurma/Shakarpara: Khurma
is another sweet-snack from Bihari
cuisine, made of flour and salt is
Malpua: Most delicious sweet
dish that features in Bihari cuisine
is malpua. Malpua with banana and
coconut is a must-to-make sweet dish
during Holi. Its batter is prepared by
mixing flour, milk, sugar and mashed
bananas and is deep-fried in such a way
that the edges remain crispy while the
middle part gets softness. It is cooked
on medium flame till both sides turn
brown. Essential ingredients for Malpua
are maida (refined flour), semolina,
milk, and yogurt. The crispy crust and
soft centre melts in mouth, making it
all-time favourite delicacy of Bihar.

deep-fried and dipped in sugar syrup.

Khurma is also called shakarpara in
north part of the state. As the sugar
syrup cools off, it crystallizes and
gives powdery outer texture which
makes it crunchy. Another variant of
this sweet snack is prepared with rice
flour dough called Laktho. 
  Balushahi: Filled with mildly
sweetened khoya and spices like
cardamom and cinnamon, Balushahi
is a traditional dessert from Bihari
cuisine. This dessert has certain
similarity with glazed doughnut in
terms of ingredients, but differs in
texture and taste. Balushahis are made
of maida flour, and are deep-fried
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 25
 Sweet Delicacies of Bihar
in clarified butter and then dipped
in sugar syrup, sometimes even
flavoured with the opulent saffron for
added taste and fragrance.
Gud ka Kheer: Though Kheer
is common to Indian subcontinent
cuisine, Bihar has some variations
in the recipe of Chawal ka Kheer.
Instead of using sugar to sweeten the
Kheer, jiggery is used in Bihar for
Kheer. This version of Gud ka kheer
is an essential prasad during Chhath
Puja in the state.  Parwal ki Mithai: This sweet
Kala Jamun: A close-cousin of
the most-loved sweet Gulab-Jamun,
Kala Jamun is the black or dark
purple variant of this sweet. It has got
the name Kaala-Jamun because of its
blackish tinge. These dipped rounds
made of khoya and cottage cheese
are one of the most loved Bihari
sweets. Kala Jamuns are coated with
sugar or some sugar is added in the
batter before frying which gives these
sweet balls blackish color. Munger,
Bhagalpur & Banka Districts are
known for mouth-watering Kala
Jamun.
26 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
Batasha: This sweet candy is
mostly used on fasting and feasting
rituals so can be tagged as temple-
sweets. Sugar is boiled in water till the
syrup reaches a harder consistency
and soda bicarbonate is added to
aerate this syurp and the chashni is
dropped on to sheets in little coin
shapes. Now, batasha is fashioned
into animals figure and dolls as Kheel
which is used during Diwali and
Chhath Puja.
Gaja: It is also a sweet snack in
cubical form, made of maida and
sugar, served mostly with evening tea.
Pantua: An alternative for
kalajamun with only difference in
shape that is elongated, pantuais
made with mawa, sugar and milk.
Barahiya and Begusarai are known
for lip-smacking pantua.
Imarti: Imarti is a flower-
like sweet dish, resembling mostly
national sweet jalebi. It is prepared
with a batter made with grounded
urad dal, and is deep-fried in refined
oil and further soaked in thick sugar
syrup. This delightful sweet dish finds
its origin in Mughal regime.
dish is mainly prepared during
festive season in Bihar. It is made of
parwal and mawa. Parwal is boiled
and cooked in sugar syrup to make
it tender. Thereafter, khoya and dry
fruits are stuffed and imbibed with
warm sugar syrup to provide outer
delicacy.
Rabri: Bihari variation of
Basundi, rabri is a sweet, condensed-
milk-based dessert prepared by
boiling the milk on low heat for a long
time till it turns brown. Dry fruits and
sugar is added to give the flavor. n
Evening
Snacks of Bihar
SAUV Publication
T
he mouth-watering
Bihari street foods are
no longer regional now.
Litti-Chokha may be
the prime attraction of
Bihari cuisine for outsiders, but that’s
not the only snack Bihar has to offer.
A number of flavoured and mouth-
watering street foods are indigenous
to Bihar.The list of major Bihari
street-foods run as follows:
Litti-Chokha: The lip-
smacking Litti-Chokha, tagged as
state-food of Bihar, is a most-loved
option for snacks for non-resident
Biharis now. It is prepared with
wheat flour dumplings stuffed with
spiced Sattu, kneaded into round
spicy balls and roasted on a coal fire
and dipped in ghee. Litti is always
accompanied with chokha which
is prepared by mashing the boiled
Litti- Chokha may be
vegetables like potatoes, brinjal, and
tomatoes, adding chopped onion, the prime attraction
garlic, ginger, green chili and Indian of Bihari cuisine but
dry spices. In the beginning, Litti that’s not the only food
was baked on cow-dung fire but now
coal fire is mostly used. This tangy- Bihar has to offer. A
flavoured traditional dish of Bihar number of flavoured and
has somehow become synonyms
mouth-watering street
with the state’s food habits. A word
of caution is that litti should not be foods are indigenous
confused with Rajasthan’s Daal Baati to Bihar. Sattu is one
Churma since the latter is not only
very different in taste, but also in
of the most commonly
used ingredients in
texture and preparations.
Thekua: Also known as Bihari cuisine. Enjoying
‘Khajuria’ or ‘Thikari’, it is used as flavoured Bihari snacks
sweet dry snack for centuries in
and street-foods in the
Bihar. Crispy and crunchy in texture,
Thekua is mostly known being streets of metro cities
offered as a prasad during Chhath. has become a regular
Wheat flour, ghee, jaggery are the
main ingredients for this easy-
phenomenon.
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 27
 to-make snack recipe. Sometimes
melted sugar is also used as an
alternative to jaggery. Flour dough,
prepared with melted sugar and ghee,
is deep-fried in ghee till it turns red in
colour. Though high in calories, the
best thing with this delicious dish is
that it can be preserved in an airtight
container for several days.
Pedakiya: Pedakiya is Bihari
form of Gujiya of north Indian states.
Pedakiya is all-time favourite sweet
snack of Bihari households. Also
known as Purukiya or Pedukiya, this
snack is prepared especially during
Holi, Teej and  Diwali festivals.
28 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
The maida-dough is stuffed with
semolina or sooji as a base instead
of Khoya or Mava as in the case of
Gujiya. However, the stuffed maida-
dough’s edge is folded to get the
desired design. Pedukiya is deep-
fried till turns brown. Pedakiya made
in Chhapra region of Bihar is very
famous.
Sattu (Gram-flour powder):
Sattu, the quintessential element of
Bihari kitchen, takes precedence as
most indigenous protein source and
is an example of staple food of Bihari
cuisine. Sattu is prepared with toasted
gram flour as well as toasted barley or

a mixture of both. Sattu is also used
as sharbat (drink) for its protein-rich
content. Sharbat made with sattu,
only served in Bihar, gives an instant
cooling effect on body in summer.
Referred as poor man’s protein, sattu
is one of the healthiest drink options
in summer here.
Daal Puri: Daal-Puri is another
common breakfast in Bihar. This
traditional Bihari breakfast is made
with chana dal. Flour dough is
stuffed with ground boiled channa dal
and roasted cumin. The flour doughis
flattened into small circles making
sure the stuffing does not fall apart.
Place the flattened puri into hot oil
and flip to let the puri puff on both
sides. Moong dal can also be used to
get soft and delicious dal-puri. It can
be served with any dry vegetables.
Traditionally, daal-puri is served with
Kheer on festive occasions in Bihar.
Dal Pitha: Dal pitha is a popular
rice-flour-dumpling seasonal snack of
Bihari cuisine. A popular alternative
to Momos in Bihar, Dal Pitha is
prepared using fresh rice flour and
spicy masala lentil filling. The rice-
dough prepared in triangular shape
called pitha is stuffed with spiced
lentil fillings or gram paste. The filled
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 29
Evening Snacks of Bihar
pitha is steamed to make it eatable,
making calorie-free and a good
option for health concerned people.
Pithas served along with hari dhaniya
ki chutney, tomato chutney or mint
chutney tastes same as Momos with
spicy red chili chutney.
Ghugni-Choora:Ghugni-choora
is another popular and easy to
prepare evening snack in Bihar. This
evening snack is the scrumptious
combination of beaten rice (choora)
and black gram (kaala-chana), spiced
up with local spices. It is a very
simple recipe prepared by stir frying
boiled kala-chana with chopped
 Evening Snacks of Bihar
onion, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green
chilies, ginger, garlic paste and salt.
Ghugni has a medley of spices with
great flavors put together. It can be
served with almost everything, puri,
parathas, rotis, or just as plain ghugni.
Murhi-Kachri: Kachri (onion’s
pakoda) is next-to-only Litti-Chokha
in popularity as most favoured evening
snack of Bihar. The chopped onion
mixed with gram flour and other local
spices are deep-fried in mustered oil.
The best accompaniment taken with
kachri is murhi (puffed rice).
Jhilli: A close-cousin of Kachri,
Jhilli is a thin strings of gram-flour
in round shape, mixed with local
spices and is deep-fried. Jhilli is also
consumed with murhi. Biharsharif
region’s jhilli is known for its lip-
smacking flavor.
Aloo Chap: Bihari style Aloo
Chap is also a popular evening snack
of Bihar. It is prepared with mashing
30 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
up boiled potatoes with ginger and
onions, made into roundels, dipped
in gram flour (Besan) batter and
deep fried. Murhi (puffed rice) and
Aloo-chap makes the evening more
delicious.
Nimki: This salty and crunchy
snack is unique to Bihar which can be
preserved for eight to ten days. This
snack is made from dough of flour
and salt. Roll the dough into a sheet
and cut the sheet into small diamonds
shape. Fry all the pieces and enjoy this
finger food snacks.
Dahi-Jalebi: Jalebi is our national
sweet and Bihar eats Jalebi with Dahi
(curd). Dahi and jalebi is a sweet
combination as snack that Bihari uses
in breakfast and as evening snack too.
Dahi-bada: Dahi-bada is a side
dish mandatory for every household
in Bihar to be prepared in Holi.
Essential ingredients for Bihari style
of dahi-bada are urad dal, beaten
curd, cooking oil, cumin seed, black
salt, asafoetida, and salt. Bada is made
with the paste of urad dal by soaking
it overnight and grinding with other
spices. n
 Non-Vegetarian
Cuisine of Bihar
T
he culinary tradition
of Bihar has evolved
parallel with the
cuisines of the regimes
that ruled this region
from time to time. Despite the
significant impact of Buddhism on
Bihar’s cuisine culture in the form
of vegetarian food, a significant
size of Bihari population remains
non-vegetarian. Maithili Brahmin
community loves fish as much as
any non-vegetarian lover does in
the country. Mutton preparation is
mandatory among non-vegetarians
during festive seasons like Holi and
Dussehra. Though no more readily
available now in the open market,
fowl, quail and partridge birds -
called Bageri, Titar, Bater, and Chaha
locally - are exotic preparations for
Biharis any day. In addition, Bihar
has an old tradition of offering the
SAUV Publication
sacrifice of goats during Navratra to
Goddess in shakti-puja and its meat
Bihari distinctive flavour
is distributed as maha-prasad among of non-vegetarian dishes
devotees. Fish and Mutton are two finds mention in the
regular non-vegetarian delights of memoirs of Maulana
Bihar handed down by generations.
Moghul regime – and the Nawab
Abul Kalam Azad
of Bengal - cultivated the culture who found it quite
of Kebab, biryani, fowls and birds. tasty. Several forms of
The invaders like Turks, Afghanis, Bihari-kebabs, mutton
Persians, and much later Mughals
preparations and the
and the Europeans had logically deep
influence on the culinary tradition dishes prepared from
of Bihar. The fusion of the native various fowl and birds
kitchens of Mauryan and Gupta era along with mustard-
got blended with the exotic aroma
flavoured fish have
of invaders’ kitchen. Thus Bihar
became the melting pot of cuisines,
a distinctive taste in
handed down to us by generations of Bihar. Champaran
varied regimes. region of Bihar is
Bihari distinctive flavour of non- famous for mutton
vegetarian dishes finds mention in grilled dish called Taash.
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 31
32 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019

the memoirs of Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad who found them quite delicious.
Several forms of Bihari-kebabs,
mutton preparations and the dishes
prepared from various fowl and birds
along with mustard-flavoured fish
have a distinctive taste. Champaran
is famous for mutton-grilled dish
called Taash. Bihari Kebabs wrapped
up in a paratha called Bihari kebab
rolls is gastronomic delight for non-
vegetarians in Bihar. Mithilanchal
has a number of natural ponds and
lakes and that enables Maithils to
easy fish farming and fish eating.
Mithila region is known for its unique
mustard-powder fish recipe.
Bihari Kebab: Indigenously
originated in Middle Eastern cuisine,
Kebab is most loved dish among non-
vegetarians. Bihari variant of kebab
Non-Vegetarian Cuisine of Bihar
is juicy chunks of chicken or meat
marinated in the flavors of yoghurt
and poppy seed paste and then
barbecued till it turns golden. The
uniqueness of the Bihari kabab is in its
texture, marinade and spice content.
The use of kabab chini, poppy seeds,
nutmeg, mace and papaya makes it
remarkably tender. Bihari Kebab is
best served as wrapped in paratha
with a twist of lemon juice.
Champaran Handi Meat:
A shade of cuisine culture of
Champaran-Betia belt of the state,
Handi meat has gained the fame for
its unique method of cooking and its
vital ingredients. The distinct way of
cooking the famous Champaran meat
makes the dish special in taste. Meat
is not fried with onion, grinded spices
and other items as we do in regular
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 33
mutton-recipe. Entire mixture of
mutton, onion, grind spices and
important ingredients with mustard
oil are placed into the earthen pot on
mild heated charcoal. Also, the pot is
sealed with wet flour after putting the
mixture inside. It is cooked for over
one hour on low heat without opening
the seal to stir. Instead, entire pot is
shaken from time to time. This makes
the dish special as no water is added
from outside. The steam generated
tenders the mutton without much
loss of the flavour of the species.
Fish-curry: Bihari fish-curry,
especially the Rahu variety, with
mustard paste, is a gastronomic
delight for non-vegetarian food-
lovers. A typical way of cooking fish
with mustard powder in Bihar is what
makes Bihari fish curry different
from other parts of the country.The
secret of this mouth-watering fish-
curry is the important ingredients
that include mustard seeds, garlic,
ginger, cumin, red chili roasted
lightly before grounding. After
frying the pieces of rohu fish, this
power of masala is sauté and water
is mixed to boil the fried pieces
of fish. This gives the awesome
taste and flavor that is served with
rice. As the region of Mithila has
matured pisci-culture tradition
since ages, machh-bhat has
become the trademark of Mithila’s
cuisine. Therefore, most Maithil
Brahmins are non vegetarian by
tradition. Rohu, naini, bhakur,
singhi, pothi are typical verities
of fish cultivated in Mithila. Fish
curry, fried fish, fish-egg pakora,
fish pickles are some traditional
delicacies in a Brahmin household
of the region.
34 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019
Prawn curry: This is also special
to Bihari cuisine. Jhinga (prawn) does
not require as much complex recipe
as rohu fish does. Put the prawn in
pan and add garlic paste, red chilli
powder, mustard paste, poppy seed
paste, turmeric powder, salt and
mustard oil and mix well. Add about
½ cup of water and let it cook for 15
minutes on low flame. It is mostly
served with roti.
Potiya Machhli: Fresh small
fishes from the ponds and rivers are
deep-fried with local masala. It is
the roasted form of fish which is best
served with paratha or roti.
Bihari seekh kabab: An
important part of Moghul menu,
Bihari variation of seekh-kabab is
an infusion of mutton, raw papaya,
garlic, ginger, onion and mustard oil.
All ingredients are mixed and kept
marinated for half an hour. Set in
the skewers and roast in an oven at
suitable roasting temperature till the
water dries up and the kababs turned
well-browned. Garnish with onion
slices and green chilies and enjoy
Bihari seekh-kabab.
Bihari Boti: The recipe goes
same like Kebab with one difference
that this is made of boneless meat.
Bihari-Boti is also quite famous
among non-vegetarians. Bihari boti
can be cooked in pan or barbeque or
even in oven.
Fowl-flesh: In non-vegetarian
menu, Bihar has a rare tradition of
enjoying the flesh of birds like fowl,
quail and partridge. Such birds are
kept in household for its eggs and
flesh. These birds are locally known as
Teetar and Bater and are found, non-
farmed and fed on natural products.
The recipe is almost identical to
mutton curry and is served with rice,
better known as Bageri-Bhat. n
Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019 | 35
36 | Man Main Bihar | January − March 2019