Bihari Cuisine

Laddoo of Maner
 
Laddoo is a sweet-ball made of gram-flour, sugar and ghee. It is available insweet-shops almost everywhere. However, Maner, about 30 kms west of Patna, is famous for a mouthwatering variety of laddoo preparation.
Khaja of Silao

Khaja making is an ancient tradition of Silao village which is situated about 15 kms from Biharsarif and 8 kms from Rajgir en-route Patna - Rajgir. Best varieties of this sweet are Chandshahi , Round , Palvidar and Gandhi Topa. Most popular among these is one, rectangular shaped. In the early years, this variety was made of such light-weight, it is said, it did not submerge into water, whereas, if a coin was put over its surface, the coin slipped and submerged but the "Khaja" remained floating on the water surface.
There is one another interesting story of Khaja. It is said that, once Buddha visited the place of Acharya Sheel Bhadra, the Chancellor of ancient Nalanda University. The Acharya extended warm welcome and offered a locally made sweet to Buddha. He accepted the Acharya's offer and was overwhelmed with its taste. Becoming curious, Lord Buddha asked its name. The Acharya, though not actually knowing the name, called it "Khaja " and since then,this world famous sweet is known as "Khaja". This delicious, multi-layered, Khaja , is prepared with Maida (wheat-flour), sugar and ghee.
Belgrami of Udwant Nagar

Udwantnagar, a place between Arrah and Buxar is specially famous for it's Belgrami, a sweet preparation of cheese, sugar and ghee.

Tilkut and Anarsa of Gaya
The Ramna Road of Gaya town is famous for preparation of a specially treated sweet item called Tilkut. It is prepared with white sesamum seeds ( Til ) and sugar. Anarsa is also prepared at the same Ramna Road of Gaya Town, specially in rainy season, with a combination of rice flour, white sesamum seeds (Til) and sugar.
Laai of Barh

Barh in the Patna district between Bakhtiarpur and Mokama is famous for a sweet item made in a ball or cake-shape called Laai.It is prepared with 'Khobi' or 'Ramdana' seeds and 'Khoa' mixed together with sugar.
Sonpapdi
Sonpapdi is a very tasty preparation of sugar, gram-flour and ghee. Buxar, is famous for its special flavour. Munger is also equally famous for this sweet.
Perukia of Chhapra

A suitable quantity of Suji (semolina) or Khoa ( filling ingredients), mixed together with Sugar, is wrapped artistically inside thin-leaves made with the mixture of Maida, water and ghee and then strained in a deep-frying pan in heated ghee.
A place named Chhapra, on the Hajipur-Siwan road is specially famous for this cake-like delicious preparation Perukia.
Balushahi of Runi Saidpur

A specially treated combination of Maida (Wheat floor ) and Sugar is cooked with ghee (a nutritious fat extracted from cow or buffalo milk).
Runi-Saidpur on the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi route is famous for this recipe called Balushahi.
Kheer Makhana

Kheer-Makhana is a sweet dish prepared with Milk, Sugar and Makhana, a natural produce cultivated in abundance in the Darbhanga region of north Bihar.
Malpua

Malpua is prepared with a mixture of Maida, Milk, Banana, Grated Coconut, Cashew Nut, Raisin, Sugar, water, Green cardamom and Ghee.
All the ingredients for maal pua is battered into a smooth batter. Sugar syrup is prepared by boiling sugar, water, and green cardamom for 5 minutes over medium flame after the sugar has dissolved in water completely. Ghee is heated for deep-frying the pua. The batter in form of a thin round pancake (4-5 inches in diameter) is put into the hot ghee. Pua is deep fried till it turns golden red. The so fried pua is kept in a plate. Before serving, sugar syrup is boiled again and the fried pua is dipped into it to soak the syrup completely for a minute. The pua now becomes Malpua and it is strained to be served hot.
Shakarpara and Thekua
These special occasion recipes are specially treated combination of Maida (Wheat floor ) and Sugar. These are strained in ghee.
Special Bihari Food
Dalpuri
Strained in a cooking medium, i.e. ghee, it is a tasty salted wheat flour bread filled with specially treated (boiled-crushed & fried with special spices) gram-pulse. It is a domestic preparation, however Dalpuri can be ordered in a good restaurant. It can also be had from some roadside-vendors.

Litti - Chokha

Litti is an elegantly baked salted wheat flour Cake filled with Sattu ( fried gram flour) and some special spices. Served hot with ghee (the nutritious fat extracted from cow or buffalo milk) and "Baingan-ka-Bharta" (a dish made of baked Brinjal, a vegetable item), it is a common dish, specially popular in the Bhojpuri speaking belt of North-Western Bihar. It can also be had from some roadside kiosks. Some restaurants also serve this dish.
Other Items
Special Mutton Preparation in Patna Style
Mutton Biryani Mutton Tikka Boti Kabab Kabab Kofta Goli
Special Varieties of Fruits
Lichi of Muzaffarpur Makhana of Darbhanga Yellow Banana of Hazipur
Malda Mango of Digha

1 comment:

  1. I happened to visit Ara - enroute, i stopped at the famous - Maner Sweets - Maner ka Laddoo for some refreshments. It's one of the best places to have Laddoo's which are fresh and served. I learnt that the preparation is unique and they use ground level water - from Sone which acts as a sweetener and enhances taste to the Laddoo. Now, those people who stay in Patna - can visit Maner Sweets - in Maurya Lok Complex.

    Thanks
    Rajiv

    avid lover for Sweets

    ReplyDelete