A TASTE OF TRADITION

 Bihari cuisine is known for its hearty yet nutritious character, boasting a delightful fusion of flavours derived from locally-sourced ingredients. Despite its culinary and nutritional excellenceand its eco- friendly nature, it often remains overshadowed by other regional Indian cuisines.

I have been an avid reader of cookery books authored bythe likes of Nina Gupta and Madhur Jaffrey in my younger days. I derived considerable pleasure reading those books,chiefly because, in my imagination I cooked and relishedthe delectable items listed! Strangely though, I hardly came across any book describing the cuisines from Bihar at that time. Now, ofcourse, things have changed.With better communications and access to internet, people in other parts of India, especially those in the younger generation, have at least heard of Sattu, Litti Chokha and Kichdi from Bihar.

Little did I know at that time that my destiny would one day take me to Bihar to work there and live in a Bihari household.Before my stay in Bihar, I was apprehensive about the Bihari food, but was re-assured by the fact that Biharis ate rice, at least during lunch.

 I distinctly remember the first day of my stay in Patna; someone gave me a bowl of flattened rice or poha (Chivda in Bihar) topped with curd and sugar. I resisted the growing revulsion at the thought of eating poha that way, for, back at my home, wealways ate it along with jaggery (gur) and scrapped coconut, or as Uppuma or Khirmade out of it.

Over the years I started liking thecombination of Poha made out of fragrant paddy, with a tinge of sourness of the curd and sweetness of sugar, all melting together to produce a rareculinary experience.I learned that on the day of Makar Sankrantithe people of Bihar invariablyconsumedDahi-Chivda made out of freshly harvestedpaddyand tilkut made out of sesame seeds and gur ----aharvest tradition.

I discovered that Bihar's gastronomy is a union of three sub-regional cuisines - Maithali, Magahi and Bhojpuri. Some of the culinary ideas came to Bihar from neighbouring states of UP and West Bengal.

Rice & Wheatconstitute the staple diet of Biharis. Most people eat white par-boiled rice, but we preferred to eat the coarser red variety.I haven’t seen the finest variety of basmati rice- the small-grained fragrant variety anywhere else, but in Bihar.

 Rice and dal along with a few other minor ingredients and spices are steamed and cooked together to produce the famous Bihari Kichdi. Children and those who are ill or convalescing are usually fed Kichdi- a light and nutritious meal.

A common savoury item made with rice flour is Pitha (rice dumpling) or the Desi Momo.They are stuffed with either sweet or spicy filling. My favourite is Thisi (linseed/flax seedsaut’ ed and powdered along with Gur). Back at home in Kerala we fill the dumplings with scrapped coconut, jaggery and cardamom.

Rotis are made of wheat flour; Puris are cooked mostly on festive days.Deep-fried kachoris filled with dal used to be my favourite.Bihar’s Dal puri-- Puri that is filled with cooked chana dal and masalas are famous and aremade on festive occasions.

Apart from wheat and rice millets (Madua) are also grown in Bihar. Some people make rotis with millets too.The millets were more commonly used before the arrival of the wheat revolution.

Lentilsform an important part of Bihari diet. A variety of dals are grown here like Masoor (bothyellow and brown), Arhar and Chana. Rice is eaten along with the yellow dals or Chana ka jhor(Jhor can be made out of Palak, Mattar or green peas too).

Bari is prepared by soaking and grinding Masoor Dal with chosen spices, slightly fermented and sun-dried after making into rough balls. Similarly,scraped Bhua(Ash Gourd) is mixed with gram flour and masalas,fermented after adding spices and made into balls, after which they are sundried.By that time, they become solids.The pieces are powdered soaked and boiled in water for sometime.The resulting gravy is seasoned hing (Asafoetida) and garlic.It has a delectable sour taste. The preparation is known as Kohnauri.Both Barhi and Kohnauri are prepared during summer months.

We also make Kadhifrom sour curd andbesan(gram flour) balls.Besan ki Subji is another unique dish of Bihar. Another popular dish is Ghugni prepared with boiled chana and seasoned with masalas.

What is Sattu?Sattu takes the pride of place among all the food items in Bihar.Sattu is a protein-rich flour made from baked and powdered chana (Bengal gram) or other pulses and cereals. It is highly popular in Bihar as it is durable,easy to consume, and provide protein-rich nutrients. It is consumed in raw form mixed either with water or ghee with gur orwith salt,cut onions, and green chillies. Sattu drink is usually prepared in our home by adding cool water, green chillies, onions and achar(pickle) to give it a spicy taste.

Litti is prepared by stuffing wheat rotis with Sattu and masalas, made into flattened balls and cooked over fire or in ovens and eaten with Chokha made out of mashed potatoes orround brinjals, sometimes both together.Heated ghee is poured over the Littis that make them irresistible in taste. Sattu Paratha is the flattened version of round Litti.

Only when one lives in Bihar one realizes the immense value of Sattu. For the people in a place like Biharwhich is subject to natural calamities like annual floods and drought, Sattu is a food for survival. Once Sattu is prepared and stored, no further cooking or little cooking is needed. It helps to tide over the scarcity months. Road side line- hotels invariably display Littis which are eaten by the working population.

VegetablesThere is an abundance of vegetables in Bihar.If one happens to drive from Patna through Biharsheriff, one can see mounts of vegetables stacked on either side of the road likepotatoes,String beans, purple Brinjals (both round and elongated), Parwal (pointed gourd), Kadhu (bottle gourd), Bhua (Ash gourds), Karela (bitter gourd), Bhindiand several other seasonal vegetables.In winter one finds mounts of cauliflower, carrots, beans and cabbages besides other winter vegetables. No wonder Bihar occupies second position in vegetable production in India.

Because of its location around the great river Ganga and its fertile soil, anything can grow here. During my early days in Patna, out of curiosity, I used to walk to the nearby vegetable market. I can never forget the fresh green vegetables stacked on either side of the road, spreading their green glow under the mellow evening sun.A wide range of vegetables like green bananas, drumsticks, string beans, red saag (Amaranth), pumpkins and Ash gourds all were waiting to be picked up.

Biharis make use of everything that grows naturally in their backyard that include sponge gourds (Ninua), Pumpkins, Lauki or Kaddu (bottle gourd)and different varieties of Saag. Drumstick plants can be spotted everywhere. To my surprise I found that their fruits are plucked early when they are thin and wiry and a tasty dish prepared with ground yellow mustard and other spices.

In Bihar mustard oil is used for cooking purposes.Its acrid smell and pungent taste put me off for some time, but today I prefer this oil to others for cooking Bihari foods.In winter one can see vastexpanse of mustard plantedon both sides of the, roads,with their yellow flowers in their golden glow.

Different kinds of masalas are also grown and are locally available.I can never forget my visit to Samastipur long ago when I saw mounts of masalas displayed on both sides of the roads. Ofcourse, these might have shrunkenover time,due to broadening of roads and heavy traffic.

I found that most households use simple masalas for their vegetable preparation-jeera, garlic and green chillies ground together. Ground coriander seeds are used in some preparations. They add yellow mustard paste to some preparations made with potatoes, drumstick,broad beans, ashgourd, Bhindi etc.Freshly ground garam masalas are used in the preparation of some of the choicest items.

I noted with interest that boiled chana, Bari or soya balls are also mixed with vegetables to make them tasty and nutritious.It also helps reduce the use of vegetables.

Bihar also produces sufficient quantities ofpotatoes and onion.Different types of potatoes are used in different preparations.Aloo Dum is one of the most famous dishes from Bihar.So is Aloo ParwalKi Subji. The preparation made with the small variety of potatoes, cooked and boiled in a gravy of hot chillies and masalas is an unforgettable item I have tasted. A variety of fried or saut’ ed vegetables are also made like with Parwal,Karela, Bhindi, Kundri, Snake Gourd (Kaita), green bananas.Katahal (Jack fruit) do grow in Bihar,but bothraw and ripe ones are mostly brought from neighbouring Jharkhand state.

Non- vegetarian foodSince I am a vegetarian, I donot have first- hand knowledge about non-vegetarian food in Bihar.Although most houses do not keep any fowl, eggs and chicken are eaten in most homes.Perhaps, the eggs are brought from far-away states like Andhra Pradesh. Way-side hotels sometimes serve Bihari Egg Poach (Bihari-style omelette by adding red chillies and vegetables). 

People of Bihar like Bengalis love fish,which is available in plenty in the market. Ganga, the other rivers flowing through the state and local waterbodies provide an abundant supply of fresh water fish. Bihari Fish Curry is spicy. The curry is cooked in Mustard oil and is flavoured withground mustard seeds and red chilli.

I found that Chicken is cooked only on special occasions in Bihar.

SnacksA wide variety of Pokras are prepared in Bihar. Apart from seasonal vegetables, even pumpkin leaves and flowersare used in their preparation.Bhabra (fried fritter) made of gram flour, green chana, green chillies, cut onion and masalasand fried in oil is a speciality made on the festive occasion of Holi.Bhabraslook alluring like golden pappads dotted with green chana.

Another common item one finds is puffed rice (muri- called Phari in Bihar). Mixed and lightly friedwith peanuts and masalas they provide a ready snack to both children and grown-ups. A variety of Bhunjas find a place in Bihari households made of Chana, Green peas, maize etc baked in hot sand.

Another easily prepared snack is made of boiled brown chanagarnished with cut onions, green chillies and a little lime juice or mustard oil added to it.

In water-logged districts like Dharbhanga  Makhanaor prickly water lily(Euryale ferox) grows in ponds and is professionally harvested. The edible seeds, called fox nuts or Makhana when dried, are eaten. Bihar produces 90% of the world's fox nuts. Makhana is an excellent source of several important nutrients.These are lightly roasted in ghee along with masalas. Makhana is used in pujas; often a kheer is prepared using them.Some people make curries with makhana,to be eaten with roti.

Samosas prepared in Bihar are bigger and tastier than the ones we get outside the state.They are calledSinghadas in Bihar.

Sweets& SavouriesKheer (pudding) madefrom milk and basmati rice and halwamade from sujiare prepared in Bihar, like in the rest of the country. The special sweets from Bihar include Balu Shahi(doughnut shaped -made of Maida, baking soda, ghee and sugar syrup and topped with slices of Pista and almonds). Thekuaor Khamoniis a deep-fried biscuit-like sweet made from whole-wheat atta, sugar (or jaggery) and ghee. This is primarily made during the Chhathfestival.

Khaja is a wafer-like multi-layered sweet-treat and is prepared from wheat flour (maida), deep-fried in ghee or vegetable oil. The Khaja is then dipped in Chashni (sugar syrup). Parwal Ki Mithaiis another famous sweet.Parwal is first de-skinned, deseeded and boiled to make it soft and tender. It is then filled with a stuffing (made with khoya and dry fruits and nuts) and dipped in warm Chasni.

Malpua is a famous sweet dish of Bihar, chiefly made on the occasion of Holi. It is made from a thick batter of all-purpose flour (Maida), dry fruits, milk, banana, khoya, sugar and cardamom powder. It is dipped into the sugar syrup after frying it in oil or ghee.Tilkut is a seasonal sweet of Bihar made of sesame seeds and Gur or sugarand sold in winter. This is the famous sweet of Gaya. Laaiis anothercommonly prepared item in the shape of balls made using puffed rice and jaggery syrup.

Kala Jamun is made like Gulab Jamun, but is dry without syrup, cylindrical in shape and looks darker in colour.Jilebi is anothervery popular item. Apart from these sweets, many others are available with regional identity(e.g.Maner ka Ladoofrom Maner near Patnaand Kalakand from Hazaribaghin old Bihar).

In our home only Malpuva, Kala jamun, Thekuva and Halwa used to be cooked.Tilkut and Lai were bought from shops or gifted by family members.

ChutneysDifferent kinds of chutneys are made in Bihar using raw mango, Imly (Tamarind)Amla (Gooseberry) or tomatoes(both sweet and salty). I like the Mango Chutney made by cooking raw mango and gur together, seasoned with red chillies and jeera.Its sharp taste is appealing to the palette.

Fruits Bihar is a major producer of fruits like mango, litchee,melon,banana and guava.Apart from the famous Malda mangoes from Digha, the other common varieties areDasahari, Chausa and Langda.There are many other local varieties. Bihar is the largest producer of Lychees in India.

Looking Back,I feel that Bihari food has contributed significantly to my own health and well-being. I am adapted to several of the Bihari food habits.For example, most days I have a simple breakfast of two millet rotis,along with seasonal vegetables cooked in Bihar-style. Sattu and Bhunja form an important part of our diet.

I recall that once, after having a meal in Delhi’s Bihar Bhavan my son said to me” Mummy, I had a satisfying meal”. Yes, the Bihari food is indeed satisfying, if not anything else.

FutureBihari dishes may not be as spicy,glamorous orappealing like the dishes from Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai or Chandigarhormay be bland in taste to some, butthey aresimple, earthy,  nutritious andeco-friendly. When such protein-rich food is easily available from natural sources,I wonder why are people, especially those belonging to the younger generation, running after protein powders and health supplements?

FutureI sometimes feel that my generation may be the last to make items like Bari, Kohnauri, Besan Ka Subji etc which need effort and dedication. But I think atleast people could opt forprotein-rich Sattu which is readily available in the market, and which can beeaten with very little efforts.More consumption of Chana, Masoor and green peascould lead to more of their cultivation, and can help provide healthy diet to the masses. Moreover, Bihari fooditems are eco-friendly as they generally use only natural ingredients while making hem.

Lessons:From the Bihar experience one learns that anything which is not natural and not connected to our lives is not worth trying as a food item. We also learn that when we take any food, we need to reflect on what impact it has on oursas well as our planet’s health.

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