Unexplored Bihari foods that deserve more appreciation

Litti-chokha! This one-dish has become the face of Bihari cuisine. But can you recall other Bihari foods that might have excited your taste buds? Many people won’t be able to name more than one. Michelin plated chef Nishant Chaubey hails from Bihar. He says, “If I have to summarise Bihari cuisine, I will call it soul food, rather, soul-satisfying food. The dishes have no complex or confusing flavours and the variety speaks for itself. There are so many unexplored, or rather lost dishes that have their own aura that deserve to be appreciated more.” (Image courtesy: istock Images)

Sanai phool is the flower from the jute plant and this may sound unconventional, but they make lip-smacking pakodas. The yellow flowers that are partially or fully bloomed are removed as they are a little bitter and only the buds are taken. It is mixed with coarse paste of garlic and green chillies, gram flour and spices. Then the mixture is given any desirable shape and fried in hot oil. These crispy flower fritters are one of the most delicious but underrated dishes of Bihar.

Bihari bachka is also known as Tarua in Bihar. It is that one dish that deserves more renown as it’s so easy to make and absolutely scrumptious/. Veggies like brinjal, potatoes, pumpkin etc. are thinly sliced and coated in a mixture of rice flour, gram flour, water, mustard oil and basic spices. They are then fried in hot oil and served either with chutney or as a side dish with lunch. Rice, dal and crispy bachkas are a favourite meal of so many Biharis.

Dudhaura, also known simply as ‘Dudhauri’ or ‘doodh kela’ is made of rice, milk, sugar, cardamom and cashews. It is also the reason for a sweet rivalry between Bihar & Jharkhand, who both claim it as their own. The rice is cooked in milk and ground cardamom first and sugar syrup is made meanwhile in a different pan. When the rice cools off, it is mixed with crushed dry fruits. It is then given round or oval shape and then cooked in hot refined oil and soaked in the sugar syrup. This yummy dish is a specimen of culinary creativity and must be tried by everyone.

Phulauri is a kind of fritters made with the paste of soaked masoor dal (split lentils) or chana dal (yellow split chickpeas). Then spices, ginger garlic paste, finely chopped onion and green chillies are added to the dal paste and dropped using a spoon in hot oil. They are served with chutney after they turn a nice golden brown. Many variants of Phulauris exist across the state and can be made with other vegetables like boiled potatoes according to taste.

Bihari Kebabs use lamb meat that is initially marinated in papaya for an hour before mincing and shaping into kebabs. Anubhav Sapra is the foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He has travelled in 18 states exploring the most delicious regional street food. He recently went on a food tour covering many towns and cities in Bihar. He says, “Bihari Kebab is one of the best kebabs I have ever had. It is weird that people in other Indian states don’t know about it, while it is known amongst people abroad, especially in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).” Apart from Bihar, this Kebab is only somewhat known in Kolkata in our country.

Mutton Tash is made on a big griddle, where the mutton marinated in ginger, garlic, spices, oil, Sichuan black pepper (Timur powder) and yoghurt is fried in mustard oil for 30 minutes. When it is cooked, it is garnished with chopped coriander leaves and served hot with toasted bhuja (fried beaten rice). Anubhav says about the delicacy, “Mutton Tash is an amazing dish and I’m surprised by the fact that people don’t know about it in many Indian states. Towns like Muzaffarpur in Bihar serve the best Mutton Tash. It can be served with rice too, but it tastes perfect in a rustic combination with the toasted fragrant bhuja.”

Anarsa is a Bihari sweet with an exterior made of powdered rice stuffed with khoya filling. It has a centre of gooey khoya filling with surprise crunch of dry fruits. It is then deep-fried and coated with sesame seeds. Both Anubhav and Chef Nishant believe that this Bihari sweet deserves more credit for its taste and character. Anubhav says, “I tasted the best Anarsa in Gaya. It is not known in other states except maybe in Maharashtra. However, it tastes much more different and authentic in Bihar.”

Belgrami made in Patna is particularly famous. It is made of fine chena (milk cheese), pure ghee and sugar. It is a type of chena khurma or chena goja. This sweet has a rich taste this isn’t known by many people living in other states. It is, however, exported to Nepal and USA. Cardamom is added to this recipe to give a unique taste and pleasant smell to the sweet. Then the chena is kneaded until smooth and cut into pieces. It is cooked in sugar syrup until they turn a beautiful golden colour.

Parwal ki mithai is one of the lesser-known sweets found only in Bihar. Anubhav says, “It is not commonly found anywhere else, except maybe one shop in Old Delhi.” It deserves to be explored by other states as well for its sheer idea. The parwal or pointed guards are slit and the seeds are removed. The outer skin is grated to tenderise it. A fragrant, sweet khoya filling is stuffed inside and the sweet is dipped in sugar syrup.

Bihar is a land of rich and savoury local cuisine. There are many other sweet and spicy surprises where these have come from. According to Anubhav & Chef Nishant, Bihari people need to post more about food from their state on social media and more importantly be proud of it. Like in Orissa people posted about the regional ‘Aalu Dum Dahi Bada’ and popularised it as an authentic dish of their state.

By: Shikha Prasoon