Bihari food recipes

1. Alu-Chokha (Spicy Potato)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 potatoes (medium cubed)
• 1big onion (chopped)
• 3-4 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder)
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 2-3 dried red chili
• 3-4 green chilli
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cup of chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup of mustard oil
• 3/4 cup of water
• Salt according to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the dried red chili, coriander seeds.
2. Add chopped onion, green chili and chopped garlic.
3. When the onions turn red add the potatoes and fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Now add salt, cumin-coriander powder and 3/4 cup of water.
5. Cook it for 10 min in a medium flame with cover.
6. When the gravy becomes dry, place it down.
7. Sprinkle amchur powder and mix it with the potatoes.
8. Sprinkle the chopped coriander laeves.
9. Enjoy hot Alu-chokha.

2. Nenua-chana Sabzi (Ribbed gourd with black gram)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chana (chick-pea) (soaked in water overnight)
• 1 kg ribbed gourd (peeled and cut in medium size pieces)
• 1 large onion (chopped finely lengthwise)
• A pinch of sodium bicarbonate (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dried red chili
• 3-4 tablespoon mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Powdered Masala:

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

Preparation:

1. Wash the chana and drain the water.
2. Put the chana in pressure cooker, add water, a pinch of soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook it
   till the chana gets a little tender but shape is intact.
3. Drain the water and keep the chana aside.
4. Heat the oil in a pan, saute the whole cumin seeds and bay leaves.
5. Add onion and saute for sometime, over medium flame till the onions get transparent.
6. Add all the powdered spices and cook it well.
7. Add the ribbed gourd, pre-boiled chana and salt and mix properly.
8. Cook it for 10-15 min in a medium flame with cover.
9. When the gravy becomes thick, turn off the gas.
10. Serve the preparation with Roti or Paratha.

3. Kala-Chana Ghoomni (Spicy gram-flour curry)

Ingredients:

• 100 gm gram flour (Besan)
• 1/2 table spoon of turmeric powder
• 2 medium sized onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard paste
• 1/2 tablespoon carom (Ajwain) seed
• 3 medium sized tomatoes ( finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon of garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon of cumin seed
• 4-5 green chilies (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of red chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of gram masala
• A pinch asafoetida
• 1/2 cup of mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• Water

Preparation:

1. Knead a tight dough with gram flour, 2 teaspoon of oil, 2 green chilies, carom seeds, chili powder and water.
2. Divided the dough into 1 cm diameter and 5-6 inches long pieces like seekh kabab.
3. Boil the gram-flour pieces in water for ten minutes.
4. The pieces (which are knows as gatte) are kept separately on a clean piece of cloth.
5. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the two green chilies, cumin seeds, asafoetida.
6. The mixture is cooked till it becomes brown.
7. Add ginger-garlic paste, mustard paste and cook it well.
8. After that add chopped tomato and chopped onion, 2 cups of water, coriander powder, turmeric powder,garam masala, red chili powder, salt to tastes and boil for five minutes.
9. Add gattas with prepared gravy and boiled for 5 minutes.
10. Kala Chana Ghoomni is ready to serve.

4. Gatte ki Sabzi (Gram-flour dumplings Curry)

Ingredients:

• 200 gm gram-flour
• 250 gm plain curd
• 2 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
• Salt according to taste
• 2 teaspoon mustard oil
• A pinch of turmeric powder

Preparation:

1. Mix gram-flour with half tsp. salt, half tsp red chilly powder, half tsp. dhaniya
   powder and ghee.
2. Make a tight dough.
3. Make 5-6 thin and long strips of the dough.
4. Put these strips in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Cut these gattas into small pieces.
6. Strain the curd through a strainer.
7. Add half tsp. salt, half tsp red chilly powder, half tsp. coriander powder and
   turmeric powder to the curd and mix well.
8. Add the gatta pieces with curd mixture.
9. Heat oil in a pan saute the cumin seeds and add the curd mixture.
10. Cook it for 5-7 minutes while stirring continuously till it comes to boil.
11. Simmer and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
12. After that turn off the gas, add the tadka of red chilly powder.

5. Litti

Ingredients:
For wheat flour dough:

• 1.5 cup of whole wheat flour (Littis are more crunchy if make from white flour)
• 1 cup yogurt (plain curd)
  (Make dough from wheat flour using only yogurt, without any water. The dough should
  be soft and properly kneaded. Keep aside with cover.)

For Filling:

• 1 cup of Sattu (a special gram flour)
• 4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 inch Ginger (finely chopped)
• 2-3 Green chilies (finely chopped)
• ½ cup of Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• ½ tsp Kalonji
• 2 tbsp  Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Carom seeds
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp Mircha achar masala (fillings from the red chili pickle)
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Mix all the stuffing's ingredients with sattu together nicely.
2. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to make the stuffing moist and easy to stuff.
3. Now make 7-8 balls from the wheat flour dough.
4. Dust each ball with dry wheat flour and make a patty roughly 2.5" to 3" diameter in size with hand.
5. Stuff 2 to 3 teaspoon mixture of sattu & stuffing in the center of the patty and close it from all sides.
6. When all the littis are stuffed, pre-heat the oven and put all the litties on a foil and bake until brown
   or black spots appear one the side of littis.
7. Then turn over the littis and bake for few more minutes until other side is brown as well.
8. Take out and dip in pure ghee or butter and serve with  Dhaniya chutney.

6. Chana dal Khichdi 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of rice (washed)
• 1 cup of chana dal
• 2 Cardamoms
• 2 Cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 star anise
• 2 small onions (sliced)
• 4 - 6 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3-4 tablespoon mustard oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash the rice and soak in water for 15-20 min.
2. Wash the dal and half cooked it.
3. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds,
   bay leaf and star anise.
4. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add green chilies and ginger garlic and sauté
   until rawness of the ginger is gone.
5. Add rice and pre-cooked chana dal, turmeric, sugar, salt according to taste and cook for a minute.
6. Add 3 cups of water, stir it properly and cook it for 15-20 min in a medium flame till it becomes
   dry and tender.
7. When the Khichdi is ready to serve, sprinkle the coriander leaves on top.

7. Mitha Khaja (dessert)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of white flour
• 1 cup of jaggery
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Ghee (for deep frying)

Preparation:

1. Heat the water and soaked the jaggery, till it dissolves in water.
2. Strain the jaggery water and cool.
3. Mix the cardamom powder and ghee with the flour, knead the flour with the jaggery water.
4. The dough should be stiff but pliable.
5. Divide the dough in approx. 20 parts.
6. Knead each with palm and roll in 4" round discs.
7. Make many tiny slits with knife or fork on both sides.
8. Keep them aside on a clean cloth for an hour to make it dry .
9. Deep fry in hot ghee on shimmering flame, till it becomes light golden & keep aside.
10. The khajas will become crisper and harder as they cool.
11. Store in airtight container after cooling completely.

8. Jackfruit Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 raw Jackfruit (fresh)
• 2-3 tsp Tamarind Pulp 
• 2-3 Green Chilies 
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 
• 2 tsp Oil 
• Salt (to taste) 
• 1 tsp Chana Dal 
• 1-2 tsp Urad Dal 
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 
• 4 to 5 Curry Leaves 
• 2 Dry Red Chilies 
• 2 tsp Groundnuts

Preparation:

• Slice and cut the jackfruit into small pieces. 
• Place the pieces in water and add turmeric powder. Boil for 15 minutes, till they turn soft. 
• Heat oil in a large pan and add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilies and ground nuts.  
• When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chilies, tamarind pulp, jackfruit pieces and salt and stir well. 
• Let the mixture cook for 10 minutes. 
• Serve hot with rice. 

9. Chura Bhuja

The Chivra/ poha that we sometimes eat as a breakfast item is actually put to myriad use in Bihar. A favourite preparation is Chura Bhuja. Try out this easy to make recipe.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Chivra
• ½ cup oil
• 1 whole red chilli
• Rock Salt to taste
• Chat masala to taste
• ½ cup groundnuts
• 1 tsp sugar

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. 
• When sufficiently hot, add red chilli. 
• Now add groundnuts, sauté for a couple of minutes and remove. 
• Reduce the flame and add chivra. 
• Sauté for a couple of minutes. 
• Remove from fire, add the salt, sugar, chat masala and groundnuts. 
• It makes a great breakfast item with matar ghughuni.

10. Cham Cham

Ingredients:

• 450 gms Paneer 
• 4-5 cups Water 
• 21/2 cups Sugar 
• 2-5 tbsp Rose Water 
• A few strands of Saffron 
• 250 gms Fresh Thickened/ Double Cream

Preparation:

• Put the paneer in a bowl and knead it till all the lumps are removed and the paneer/cheese is absolutely smooth. 
• Prepare sugar syrup by adding sugar and water in a pressure cooker and bring the mixture to a boil (without covering the pressure cooker). 
• While the sugar syrup boils, divide the paneer dough into small oblong shaped balls and roll between your palms till smooth. 
• Gently dip the balls to the sugar syrup and cover the pressure cooker. After the first whistle, wait for 8-10 minutes and then turn off the flame. 
• Release the steam from the pressure cooker and allow the Cham-Chams to cool completely before touching them.
• When cool, pour the rose water and saffron strands on the Cham-Chams and chill for a few hours. 
• When chilled, remove the Cham-Chams from the syrup and arrange in a platter. 
• Whisk the fresh cream till thick and fluffy. Fill into an icing bag and pipe a swirl out (with a thick nozzle) onto each Cham-Cham. 
• Garnish with slivers of your favorite dried fruit and serve.

11. THEKUA

These are some recipes typical of the sacred festival of Chhath. It is generally believed that they should not be eaten before those who perform chhath have made their offerings the Sun God. But they can for sure be taken soon after the festival gets over. Do try them out and you will discover a taste, which is really a treat to the palate! 

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Coarsely ground wheat 
• ½ kg sugar/jaggery
• 1 cup mixed dry fruits
• 3 tsp saunf
• 250 gms ghee
• ½ kg oil for frying

Preparation:

• Mix in a large bowl all ingredients including 250 grams ghee. 
• Make round balls and flatten them into cakes. Deep-fry them in ghee. 
• They can be stored for long and used as snacks. 

12. RASIA

Ingredients:

• 3 kg milk 
• 250 grams small grained basmati
• ½ kg gur

Preparation:

• Mix 200 gms of water in gur and bring to boil. 
• Add a bit of milk and ghee to it so that the scum comes on top. 
• Remove the scum with a spoon. 
• Now add milk and rice to it and cook till the rice is done and the mixture becomes half. 
• Serve hot or cold. 
• It is the most delicious form of kheer you would have ever tasted! 

13. KASAR

Ingredients:

• I kg coarsely ground rice
• ½ kg sugar/jaggery(powdered)
• ½ cup saunf
• ½ kg ghee 

Preparation:

• Mix all the ingredients together and make round balls. Eat anytime. 

14. Chaawal ki Kheer

Ingredients:

• 5 cups full cream milk
• 1/4 cup parsai ke chaawal-washed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 10-12 raisins
• 4 green cardamoms
• 10-12 almonds-blanched, shredded

Preparation:

• Put rice and milk in a deep pan and bring to a boil. 
• Simmer over low flame, stirring occasionally till the rice is cooked and the milk has thickened. 
• This should take about 25 minutes. 
• When cooked, add sugar, raisins and cardamoms. 
• Stir till sugar is dissolved and 10-15 minutes after that. 
• Transfer onto a serving dish, garnish with almonds. 
• Serve hot or chilled.

15. Matar Ghughuni

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shelled green peas
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 chopped green chilli
• 2-3 tsp oil
• 1 chopped tomato

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and cook till they become golden brown. 
• Add ginger, garlic, green chilli, tomato and all other ingredients. 
• Cover and cook till the peas become soft. Serve hot.

16. Shakkarpara

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups Wheat Flour 
• 1/4 cup Milk 
• 1/3 cup Sugar(or as per taste) 
• 3 tbsp Ghee 
• 1/4 tsp Salt 
• Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

• Sieve flour with salt in a bowl. 
• Add sugar, milk and ghee in a pan; mix well. 
• Bring it to a boil till the sugar is dissolved. 
• Now let it cool completely. 
• Make stiff dough by adding this sugar syrup to the flour mixture. 
• Divide it into 2 equal balls and roll each ball into 2 circles of 6 mm. thickness. 
• With a fork, pierce the surface at regular intervals. 
• Cut the circles into 25 mm. diamond shaped pieces. 
• Keep them aside for at least 30 minutes. 
• Take a pan and heat oil in it. 
• Now deep fry the diamond pieces in hot oil on medium heat. 
• Drain on absorbent paper and let them cool completely.