The historically rich land of Bihar is as famous for the delicacies it has in its cuisine. The tasty and exotic Bihari dishes are highly capable of tingling the taste buds of every foodie.
Here’s a list of must-try Bihari foods, dishes beyond the staple sattu or parval ki mithai, that you’re sure to love more!
1. Litti Chokha
2.
Naivedyam 3. Chandrakala/Pedakia
4. Chana Ghugni
5. Khaja
6. Mattan Kebab and Reshmi Kebab
7. Kesar Peda
8. Clove-Latika
9. Dal
Pitha 10. Khajuria/Thekua
11.
Malpua Badi
13. Rasiya
14. Pantua/Kala Jamun
15. Khurma and Laktho
16. Balushahi
17. Parwal Sweets
18. Gur
Anarsa 19. Lai
20. Tilkut
21. Puri Sabzi
22. Sattu Sharbat
1. Litti Chokha
The taste of Litti Chokhya is loved by all, it needs no introduction. Here is your grand welcome to the cuisine of Bihar, in its ghee-dripping glory. It is made with wheat and sattu masalas, made into round spiced balls, dipped in ghee. The texture of the litti with its crispy crust is a delight for the eaters. Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled vegetables (potatoes, brinjal, tomatoes), adding spices and chopped onion, garlic etc. Served with vaad and litti as a complementary delicacy.
Sattu or fried gram flour is a distinctive ingredient of Bihari food and cuisine . Sattu paratha , also known as makuni , is made by mixing sattu with spices and stuffing it into wheat flour balls, rolling it and cooking it in a hot plate with ghee .
2. Offerings
The famous Hanuman temple near Patna railway station is equally famous for its offerings, “ Naivedyam ”. Naivedyam traces its roots to Tirupati Balaji temple in Andhra Pradesh. It consists of besan or besan, sugar, cashew nuts, raisins, green cardamom, Kashmiri-saffron and other flavourings, cooked in ghee and formed into balls. This is a unique prasad, which is only from Hanuman temple. The divine deliciousness melts in your mouth and gives you blissful satisfaction.
3. Chandrakala/Pedakia
Like Gujia, Chandrakala is another heavenly dessert for those with a sweet tooth . Stuffed with a crispy coating of sweet khawa, coconut, cardamom powder and dry fruits and dipped in sugar syrup, Chandrakala is a traditional food dish of Bihar that is enough to sweeten your senses!
4. Chana Ghugni
Chana Ghughni is a spicy-spicy evening snack of Bihar cuisine. Very common but equally delicious, this mouth-watering breakfast is prepared in almost every home in Bihar. “ Chuda Ka Bhuja ” (flattened rice) fried with boiled chickpeas, onion and spices is the perfect answer to satisfy your hunger pangs! Flattened and dried gram is also used to make other salty snacks.
5. Lunch
Another equally delicious and tasty Bihar snack, Khaja is believed to be a 2000-year-old dish, similar to the baklava of the Ottoman Empire. Crispy sweets are made from wheat flour, sugar, mawa; fried in oil. This unique dessert from Bihar is wafery in texture and yet melts in the mouth. Another type is Belgrami which is made from milk solids (a type of cheese), sugar and ghee. It is less sweet and is the famous sweat meat of Udwantnagar , which lies between Arah and Buxar .
6. Mutton Kebab and Reshmi Kebab
Bihar is equally famous for its delicious non-vegetarian dishes. Patna’s famous Mutton Kebab has an equally rich and historical origin. The aroma of a small shop in Kadamkuwa attracts you like a magnet and introduces you to your preciousness ; His grandfather was a chef in the British court. Mahguche Mutton Kebabs are a delightful wonder for your taste buds.
Heading towards Rajendra Nagar in Patna , Richie Rich’s delicate Reshmi Kebabs have tough competition from Lucknow’s Galouti Kebabs .
7. Kesar Peda
Though partitioned, Bihar and Jharkhand are two states that breathe and preserve the same culture. The Deoghar tree, which is now in Jharkhand, is an essential part of Bihar’s cuisine. These states are home to people with a common thread of culture and faith. Every person in Bihar holds Deoghar very close to his heart; A place of deep religious affection. Located outside the holy temple of Deoghar, Gaurang Mishtan Bhandar is a 70-year-old place for worshipers to break their fast. ” Kesar Pede ” is a special feature of this place. Other Deoghar delicacies include chamcham and lady canning .
8. Clove-Latika
Clove-latika is a traditional dessert of Bihar cuisine, prepared during festivals. Although similar to other stuffed delicacies, the cloves in the center of the crunchy crust make it stand out from the rest. The tangy taste of cloves melts in the mouth with the sweet essence dipped in sugar syrup; The complex blend of flavors makes Laung Lata unique to Bihar. This delicacy is perfect for cold winters and has famous shops near Patna Mayusam.
9. Dal Pitha
Dal Peetha is the Bihari way of cooking dumplings or momos. This quintessential food from Bihar is covered in rice flour and filled with lentil paste along with spices and pickles. The dumpling is then steamed or fried and makes a very healthy breakfast. Another variation is when lentil paste is mixed with spices and rolled into chapatis and is called dal-puri .
10. Khajuria/Thekua
Khajuria is the most commonly prepared breakfast of Bihari cuisine. A mixture of wheat flour and jaggery is fried and lo! This lip-smacking snack is ready to satisfy those hunger pangs! Various variations can be made using rice flour instead of wheat flour and sugar instead of jaggery.
11. Malpua
Malpua is another Bihari food that needs no introduction. Its batter is a mixture of flour, milk, mashed banana and sugar that is fried in ghee and dipped in sugar syrup. The crispy crust and soft center melts in the mouth, making it an all-time favorite of Bihar. Malpua is complimented with thick rabri , just to add the delicious cherry on the cake!
12. Kadhi Badi
This all-time favorite delicious (if there is such a word) dish is another staple of Bihari cuisine . Gravy (kadhi) as well as badi is prepared from gram flour . Gravy also contains curd. It is usually complimented with rice and/or puris.
13. Russia
A special kind of kheer is only for the grand and traditional Chhath Puja and is a grand aspect of Bihar cuisine. Russia is famous for its festive touch and equally delicious taste. Another variant made from popped faux nuts or butter is called makhne ki kheer and is slightly sweet but very rich.
14. Pantua/Kala Jamun
Pantua is a variant of the famous Kala Jamun of Bihar . Sweet is fried and an addition to Bihar cuisine from Bengal! Made from mawa, sugar and milk, Pantuas are long and have a slightly hard shell, but are an equally fantastic option to end your perfect Bihari meal!
15. Khurma and Laktho
Khurma , also known as Shakkarpara , is another sweet snack in Bihari cuisine and cuisine made with flour and salt, fried in oil and dipped in sugar syrup. The sugar syrup cools and crystallizes giving a powdery outer texture. If you use rice flour and thick jaggery syrup, you will get another type called lactho. They are both really nice.