Cuisine of Bihar

                                                     Bihari cuisine

The historically rich land of Bihar is equally famous for the plethora of delicacies that feature in its cuisine. The scrumptious and exotic Bihari dishes are highly capable of tingling the taste bud of every food connoisseur.We bring to you some of the must-try Bihari food dishes, dishes which are beyond the staple Sattu or Parval ki Mithai, which will surely leave you craving for more!

Litti Chokha

The lip-smacking taste of Litti Chokha, savoured by one and all, needs no introduction. It is your grand welcome to the food of Bihar, in all its ghee-dripping glory. It consists of wheat and sattu with spices, kneaded into round spicy balls, dipped in ghee. The texture of Litti along with the crunchy crust makes it a foodie’s delight. Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled vegetables (most common being potatoes, brinjal, tomatoes), adding spices and chopped onion, garlic etc and served with Litti as a complimentary delicacy.

 Naivedyam

The famous Hanuman Mandir near Patna Railway Station is equally famous for its Prasad, “Naivedyam”. Original roots of Naivedyam can be traced back to Tirupati Balaji Temple of Andhra Pradesh. It contains besan or gram flour, sugar, cashew, raisin, Green cardamoms, Kashmiri-saffron and other flavorings, cooked in ghee and molded into a ball shape.  It is a unique Prasad, exclusive to Hanuman Mandir. The divine delicacy melts in your mouth leaving you ecstatically content.

. Chandrakala/ Pedakiya

Very similar to Gujia, Chandrakala is another heavenly dessert for those with a sweet tooth. Stuffed with sweetened khoya, coconut, cardamom powder and dry fruits in a crispy covering and dipped in sugar-syrup, Chandrakala is a fdish from the traditional food of Bihar that is enough to sweeten your senses!

Dal Peetha

Dal Peetha is the Bihari way to cook dumplings or momos. This quintessential food of Bihar is covered with rice flour and stuffed with lentil paste, along with spices and pickle. The dumpling is then steamed or fried and makes for a very healthy breakfast. Another variant of this is when the lentil paste is mixed with spices and rolled into chappatis and is called Dal-Puri.

Mutton Kebab

Bihar is equally famous for its luscious non-vegetarian delights. Patna’s famous Mutton Kebabs have an equally rich and historical origin. The aroma from a small shop in Kadamkua attracts you like a magnet and introduces you to Mahgu; His Great Grandfather was a chef in the British court. Mahgu’s Mutton Kebab’s are a delightful miracle to your taste buds.

 Khajuria/Thekua

Khajuria is the most commonly prepared snack of Bihari food. The mixture of wheat flour and jaggery is deep fried and lo! This lip-smacking snack is ready to fulfill those hunger attacks! One can also use rice flour instead of wheat flour and suger instead of jaggery to make different varieties.

Kadhi Badi

This all-time favourite yummilicious (if such a word exists) dish is another staple delicacy of Bihari food. The gravy (Kadhi) as well as the badi are prepared from besan (gram flour). The gravy also consists of yoghurt. It is usually complimented with rice and/or puris.

Kala Jamun

Kala jamun, famous in Bihar. The sweet is deep fried and is an addition to the food of Bihar through Bengal! Made from mawa, sugar and milk, Pantuas are elongated and have a little harder crust, but are an equally fantastic option to end your perfect Bihari meal!

Balushahi

A sweet, porous flour cup, enclosing a litany of flavours in the Khoya inside – that’s the Bihari food dish, the Balushahi for you. Every time you bite into one, you don’t just taste a sweet. You taste the love of the wonder, that is the food of Bihar. The sweet is filled with mildly sweetened khoya and spices like cardamom and cinnamon, sometimes even flavoured with the opulent saffron for added taste and fragrance. The flour bowl is then closed and deep fried until perfection.