Beyond Litti Choka

Sarson Wala Rohu

Fish is very common, particularly in the Northern Bihar belt and whole of Mithillanchal. A
very common food eaten with rice. Fresh live fish is very common in the local fish market.
It can just be felt by the fact that when chicken or mutton would be cooked , we children would
be so excited and feel that special food is being prepared, but not so with fish.
Generally the fish curry will be on the spicier side owing to the use of whole red chilli and the
mesmerizing aroma of mustard paste cooked in mustard oil.

Ingredients To Cook

To Marinate Mustard Oil : 5 tbsp
Fenugreek Seed (Methi) : ½ tspn
Salt : to taste
Rohu pieces : 8 pc Methi Saag Fresh : ½ bunch
Turmeric Powder : ½ tspn
Salt : ½ tspn Lemon slices : to serve

To Paste : 2 tbsp
:6
Yellow Mustard : 7-8 no
Garlic Cloves : 1 tbsp
Whole Red Chilli : ½ tspn
Whole Coriander
Turmeric Powder

Method

• Wash the fish nicely and leave in a strainer to drain the water.
• Soak all the ingredients needed to make paste in water for 30 minutes.

Then make a smooth paste
• Marinate the fish with turmeric powder and salt and leave for 30 minutes.
• Take a kadhai, heat mustard oil and then put the marinated fish pieces to shallow fry turning once.

Make sure the oil is hot enough or the fish might stick to the kadhai.
• Take out the fish.
• In the same kadhai, add fenugreek seeds and let it splutter.
• Now add the mustard paste and cook on medium heat stirring frequently.
• Keep cooking till the oil separates. Add a cup of water and let it come to a simmer.
• Add the fried fish pieces and methi saag, cook covered for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice and lemon slices.

maNiinramcoiusrhse



Aloo Chokha

Mashed potatoes with spices. Sounds so simple, yet tastes the best. Ever been to villages in
winter? I am talking about the times when electricity was yet to reach the remote homes.
People sitting around the fire (usually made by use of paddy, cow dung patties) in the evening,
talking about the paddy and pulses plantation in field or silently nodding head to the tales of
mythological Indian Gods and Goddesses. In between all this, they will put a few potatoes on
the side of a burning fire and keep rotating them from time to time to make sure it gets cooked.
And then use this potato to make chokha with an addition of minimum ingredients.

Ingredients

Medium potatoes : 250 gm
Chopped Onion : 1 tbsp
Green Chilli chopped : 2 no.
Salt : to taste

Coriander/ dhania leaves : 1 tspn
Mustard oil : 1 tspn

Method

• Wash the potatoes and cook in a pressure cooker till done. Add salt while boiling.
• Take out the potatoes, peel when warm and mash it with a fork.
• Put all the ingredients and mix lightly.

NOTE: Try to substitute the green chilli with whole roasted red chilli.

Aloo Parval Ki Tarkari

Ingredients

Parval : 8-10 pieces
Potato : 100 gm
Chopped Onion : 1 medium
Onion Paste : 3 tbsp
Chopped Tomato : 1 medium
Whole Cumin : ¼ tspn
Bayleaf : 1 pcs broken in two
Whole red chilli : 1 pcs
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : a pinch
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste : ½ tspn
Mustard Oil : 4 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Scrape the skin of parval with a knife from all sides, cut the edges.
Cut into two pieces and sprinkle with salt.

• Wash, peel and cut potatoes in medium size.
• Heat oil to medium in kadha, add the parwal and cook till a nice color forms on top. Take out.
• Cook the potatoes in the same oil till nice golden color. Take out.
• In the same kadai add whole red chilli then add cumin and let it splutter.
• Add onion and saute till golden brown. Now add ginger garlic paste and onion paste and

continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and chopped tomatoes and

continue cooking the masala till the oil separates.
• Add the fried parval and potato and stir. Add salt and 2 tbsp water.
• Sprinkle the garam masala, stir and cover the kadai for 2 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Bagiya

I cannot forget the nostalgia this recipe brings with it.
Anyone looking for gluten free, fat less and steamed products which is highly nutritious. The
answer is traditional “Bagiya”.
Wherever we go throughout the length and breadth of our country, dumplings have become
very common from the streets to the upscale malls and markets.
Bagiya are the traditional Bihari dumplings.
The secret to best dumplings lies in the filling which could be both sweet or savoury. It can be
a spicy masala lentil filling or the dal can be mixed with jaggery for the sweet tooth.
Here I am going forward with the spicy lentil filling. Keep in mind that you start to make
dumplings when the rice flour dough is still warm or else it will start to break.
Made in different shapes it is also known as “Dal Pitha”.

For Stuffing Ingredients For Dough

Chana Dal/ Bengal gram (soaked Rice Flour : 1 cup
in water for minimum 4 hours) : 3/4 cup Water : 1.4 cup
Panchforan : ½ tspn Salt : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tspn
Chopped Ginger : 1 inch
Ajwain : ¼ tspn
Green Chilli chopped : 1 no.
Mustard Oil- tempering : 2 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Coriander/ dhania leaves : 1 tspn
Cooking oil- greasing : 1 tbsp

Method
For Dough

• Drain the water from the soaked dal and rinse in water for 2 times.
• Cook the dal with half of turmeric powder and salt. Take care that it does not become mashy.

Drain and grind.
• Take out the dal in a bowl and add chopped ginger, ajwain, chopped green chilli.
• Heat the mustard oil in kadai, add panchforan and let it splitter.
• Add dal mixture and keep stirring on a low flame.
• Keep cooking and stirring on low flame for about 10 minutes or till the time dal mixture

becomes crumbly. Switch off the flame.
• Add chopped coriander leaves.
• Keep cooking and stirring on low flame for about 10 minutes or till the time dal mixture

becomes crumbly. Switch off the flame.
• Add chopped coriander leaves.

For the stuffing

• Heat water in a kadhai. Add salt and cooking oil.
• Once small bubbles start to form, add rice flour. Keep cooking and stirring on low

flame till the water is absorbed and we get a soft dough.
• Leave it aside covered with a wet cloth.

Shaping the pitha

• Divide the rice dough in lemon size balls.
• Grease your hands and flatten the rice balls one at a time to form a hollow like we do

while making stuffed parathas.
• Add a spoon of dal mixture and press within palms to form an oblong shape. The two

ends will be protruding.

Cooking the pitha

• Place the pithas in a steamer and cook for 10-12 minutes.
• It can even be cooked by placing them in boiling water till they rise to the surface-

as it was done by my grandmother.
• Drain the pithas and serve hot with dhania chutney or any chutney of your choice.

Baigan Badi

Get the benefit of being in the sun and participate in the ritual of making badi under the strict
eyes of grandmother. This is how it used to be in every joint family at the start of winter.
Drying it under the sun and then preserving it for months to be used in combination with other
vegetables.
It can be prepared with urad, moong or any other dal and is readily available in grocery shops
around the country as Badi or Adori
The dish tastes best if we combine some fresh methi leaves with it.

Ingredients

Long eggplant(baigan) : 200 gm
Badi : ½ cup
Methi saag : 1 bunch
Chopped Onion : 1 medium size
Chopped Tomato : 2 nos
Methi seed : ¼ tspn
Whole Jeera : ¼ tspn
Whole red chilli broken : 1 pcs
Ginger grated : ½ inch
Garlic crushed : 2-3 cloves
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Amchur Powder : ¼ tspn
Red chilli powder : a pinch
Hing : a pinch
Cooking oil : 3 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Clean the methi saag. Wash drain and keep aside.
• Cut eggplant in medium dices, toss with turmeric and salt and keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai and fry the badi to golden color. Take out and put in salted warm water.
• In the same kadai on low heat, add heat and let it release the flavour.
• Add jeera, methi seeds and let it splutter. Add broken red chilli.
• Add onion, ginger and garlic and cook till light golden color.
• Now put the eggplant and stir on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Next add, tomatoes, methi saag, fried badi and rest of the ingredients( except garam masala) and

cover and cook stirring occasionally
• The baigan will release water which will help in cooking the ingredients. If necessary, add

2 tbsp of water.
• Sprinkle the garam masala, cover and put off the flame.
• Serve with steamed rice or roti.sure cooker till done. Add salt while boiling.
• Take out the potatoes, peel when warm and mash it with a fork.
• Put all the ing

Batua ki Saag

A rich source of amino acid, Vitamin A, C and B Complex, Bathua or Bathuwa is one of the
green leafy vegetables extensively grown in winter time. It can easily be found in the fields
after the paddy has been cultivated.

Ingredients

Bathua Saag : 500 gm
Finely Chopped Onion : 1 tspn
Whole Cumin : ½ tspn
Grated Ginger : 1 tspn
Slit Green Chilli : 2 no
Tomato medium chopped : 1 no
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tspn
Mustard Oil : 1 tspn
Salt : to taste

Method

• Remove the tender leaves from the stem, wash the leaves and put in a
strainer to drain off the excess water. Chop roughly just before cooking

• Heat mustard oil in pan, add cumin and let it splutter.
• Add chopped onion and grated ginger and saute till it becomes pinkish.
• Add the slit chilli, bathua saag and cook till it becomes ½ in volume.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt, continue cooking till its done.
• Put off the flame.

Bharwa Parwal

You can have many variations for the filling as per your taste. Peanuts, coconut, paneer or
potato can also be used but to have the real taste of parwal vegetable, we are using the same
pulp as the stuffing.

Ingredients

Parval : 8-10 pieces
Whole cumin : ½ tspn
Turmeric Powder : ½ tspn
Coriander Powder : 1 tspn
Hing : a pinch
Amchoor Powder : ¼ tspn
Fennel seed powder : ½ tspn
Garam Masala Powder : ¼ tspn
Mustard Oil : 5 tbsp
Besan : 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves : 1 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Scrape the outer skin of parwal. Make a vertical cut on one side. Take out the pulp and keep aside.
• Heat half the oil in a pan, add whole cumin and hing and let it crackle.
• Now add all the ground spices and stir for a minute, taking care not to burn.

You can even add a spoon of water to prevent it from burning.
• Add the pulp and salt, continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.. Let it cool.
• Add coriander leaves and mix well.
• Take a spoonful of mixture and stuff it inside the parwal.
• Take a bowl with besan and add water to make a thin consistency batter.
• Heat a pan with with remaining oil. Now dip the stuffed parwal one by one in besan batter and put in pan.
• Continue to cook on slow heat covered for 4-5 minutes.
• Turn the parwal once and continue further for 5 minutes.
• The delicious parwal is ready to be consumed.

Masaledar Kathal

With the descent of severe winter which engulfs the whole of North Bihar, we get a compound
fruit which is not so common year around- Kathal (Jackfruit), having a meaty texture.
We should be careful while handling raw kathal. Make sure to grease your hands, knife and
chopping board with mustard oil or else be ready for the mess and hassle you will face because
of the natural sticky juice/latex present which oozes out when we cut it.

Ingredients

Peeled raw kathal : 250 gm
Potatoes : 100 gm
Onion Paste : 100 gm
Sliced Onion : ½ cup
Tomato : 2 no
Ginger garlic paste : ½ tspn
Whole Cumin (Jeera) : ½ tspn
Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) : ½ inch
Black Cardamom (Bari Elaichi) : 2 pc
Cloves : 3 pc
Whole Black Pepper : 3 pc
Coriander Powder (Dhania) : 1 tbsp
Jeera Powder : ½ tspn
Garam Masala Powder : 1 tspn

Method

• Peel and cut potatoes in halves. Blend the tomatoes in a grinder and keep aside.
• Heat oil in kadai. Fry the kathal pieces in 2 batches. Drain and keep aside.
• Fry the potato halves in the same oil until it’s half done. Take out and keep aside.
• In the same oil, add all the whole garam masala, the moment you hear popping sound,

add cumin and let it splutter.
• Now add chopped onion and saute till golden brown. Then add onion paste and ginger garlic

paste and cook further for 5 minutes.
• Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder, red chilli powder and tomato puree

and continue to bhuno the masala until oil separates.
• Now add the fried kathal and potato to the kadai and stir.
• Add ½ cup water, salt, cover and cook on slow flame for further 5 mins.
• Remove the lid, sprinkle garam masala powder , stir and put off the flame.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
NOTE: Sometimes the kathal may take a little longer to cook in kadhai depending upon the quality and as such
a pressure cooker can be a better option.

Bihari Dal Pitha

I cannot forget the nostalgia this recipe brings with it.
Anyone looking for gluten free, fat less and steamed product which is highly nutritious. The
answer is traditional “ Bihari Dal Pitha”
Wherever we go throughout the length and breadth of our country, dumplings has become
very common from the streets to the upscale malls and markets.
Pithas are the traditional Bihari dumplings.
The secret to best dumplings lies in the filling which could be both sweet or savoury. It can be
a spicy masala lentil filling or the dal can be mixed with jaggery for the sweet tooth.
Here I am going forward with the spicy lentil filling. Keep in mind that you start to make
dumplings when the rice flour dough is still warm or else it will start to break.

Ingredients For Dough Ingredients For Stuffing

Rice Flour​: 1 cup Chana Dal/ Bengal gram (soaked
Water​: 2 cup in water for minimum 4 hours) ​:​ 3/4 cup
Salt​: a pinch Panchforan​ ​ : ½ tspn
Turmeric Powder​​ : ¼ tspn
Chopped Ginger​​ : 1 inch
Ajwain ​:​ ¼ tspn
Green Chilli chopped​​ : 1 no.
Mustard Oil- tempering​​ : 2 tbsp
Salt ​:​ to taste
Coriander/ dhania leaves ​:​ 1 tspn
Cooking oil- greasing​​ : 1 tbsp​​

Method
For the stuffing

• Drain the water from soaked dal and rinse in water for 2 times.
• Grind the dal.
• Take out the dal in a bowl and add chopped ginger, ajwain, chopped green chilli.
• Heat the mustard oil in kadai, add panchforan and let it splitter.
• Add dal mixture, turmeric, salt and keep stirring on a low flame.
• Keep cooking and stirring on low flame for about 10 minutes or till the time dal mixture becomes

crumbly. switch off the flame.
• Add chopped coriander leaves.

For the dough

• Heat water in a kadhai. Add salt and cooking oil.
• Now add the rice flour, once small bubbles start to form. Keep cooking and stirring on low

flame till the water is absorbed and we get a soft dough.
• Leave it aside covered with a wet cloth.

Shaping the pitha

• Divide the rice dough in lemon size balls.
• Grease your hands and flatten the rice balls one at a time to form a hollow like we do while

making stuffed parathas.
• Add a spoon of dal mixture and seal the edges by pressing it on sides. One can even use the fork

to create an impression on edges.

Cooking the pitha

• Place the pithas in steamer and cook for 10-12 minutes.
• It can even be cooked by placing them in boiling water till they rise to the surface- as used to be

done by my grandmother in those days.
• Drain the pithas and serve hot with dhania chutney or any chutney of your choice.

Kumhara ki Sabji

Kumhara or Kohada (Red Pumpkin) definitely finds a place in any religious bhoj being organ-
ised in the homes of North Bihar people. Also a must have during Makar Sankranti where it
is eaten with Dahi-Chura.

Ingredients

Kumhara : 500gm
Panch phoran : ½ tspn
Hing : a pinch
Slit Green Chilli : 2 nos
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tspn
Garam Masala Powder : ½ tspn
Jaggery : 50 gm
Cooking Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Remove the seed and outer skin of the pumpkin. Cut into medium size pieces.
• Put jaggery in warm water and stir to dissolve it.
• Heat oil in kadai. Add hing and let it release flavour.
• Add panch phoran and let it splutter.
• Now add all the ingredients except jaggery and garam masala powder, cook for 10 minutes.
• You will find that the pumpkin starts to become softer after a while. Add the jaggery and

continue to cook further.
• Cook till it becomes soft.
• Sprinkle garam masala powder, stir and put off the flame.
• The delicious sabji is ready.

Sahjan Aloo Ki Sabji

Sahjan or drumstick is rich in medicinal value and the combination of sahjan, aloo in sarson
(yellow mustard) gravy will leave you asking for more. The gravy is enjoyed a bit spicy and
tangy.

Ingredients For Stuffing

Sahjan : 250 gm
Potato : 250 gm
Onion sliced : 1 medium
Yellow Mustard : 2 tbsp
Garlic Cloves : 7-8 nos
Whole red chilli : 6-7 nos
Turmeric Powder : 1 tspn
Mustard oil : 3 tbsp
Panchforan : ½ tspn
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Soak the mustard, chilli in water for 30 minutes. Remove excess water and grind. Add the garlic,
onion and turmeric powder. Make a smooth paste.

• Remove the outer skin of sahjan and cut to 2 inch pieces. Peel wash and cut potatoes to medium dice.
• Heat oil in a kadhai. Add cut sahjan and potato and saute for 3-4 minutes.Remove and keep aside.
• In the same oil, add panchforan and let it splitter. Add the grinded masala and cook on low flame

stirring continuously.
• Bhuno till the oil separates from the masala. Add a glass of water and put the fried potato and sahjan.

Add salt and let it cook till the potatoes become soft.
• Add lemon juice, stir and put off the flame.

Litti Chokha

If there is any one thing which should get the credit of making Bihari food popular throughout
India, it must have to be Litti Chokha.
From the homes of the peasants surviving on it to the menu of prominent 5 star hotels, Litti
Chokha has come a long way making us Biharis proud of our food.
Being roasted over a fire having a characteristic rustic taste, it goes well with the chokha made
of brinjal and potatoes.
Now a days the fried version is also popular but to get the real taste and flavor of littis, every-
one must try the one where it is roasted over a fire of cow dung and drizzled with desi ghee.

Ingredients For Stuffing

Sattu : 3/4 cup
Chopped Onion : 1 tbsp
Ingredients For Dough Chopped Ginger : 1 inch

Whole wheat Flour : 2 cup Chopped Garlic : ½ tspn
Ghee : 2 tbsp Ajwain : ¼ tspn
Salt : ½ tspn Green Chilli chopped : 2 no.
Onion seed/ Mangrail : ¼ tspn
Hing ; a pinch
Salt : to taste
Coriander/ dhania leaves : 1 tspn
Amchur Powder : ½ tspn
Mustard Oil : 1 tspn

Ingredients For Chokha

Brinjal Round : 1 large pc
Boiled potato : 2 pc
Tomato : 2 medium
Onion Chopped : 2 tbsp
Green Chilli chopped : ½ tspn
Garlic cloves : 3-4 no
Mustard Oil : 1 tbsp
Chopped Dhania : 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice : 1 lemon
Salt : to taste

Method

• Add the ingredients of dough in a bowl, mix well.
• Add a little water to make a stiff dough. Leave aside covered for half an hour
• In the meantime, take all the ingredients of stuffing in a bowl and mix well.

The filling should neither be too dry that it starts to crumble nor it should leave your palms wet.
• Divide the dough into lemon size balls.
• Roll the dough to 2 inch rounds and put a spoonful of stuffing in the center.
• Wet the sides of rolled dough with little water, bring it towards the center and press on sides to

seal it nicely.
• Repeat the process with all the dough.

Cooking in Oven

• Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
• Place the stuffed balls on a tray and bake for 15 minutes.
• Turn the balls upside down and bake for another 12-15 minutes.
• Dip the littis in hot ghee and serve immediately with chokha

TIP

• We can even roast the littis over direct flame or even in kadhai.

For Chokha

• Make a cut in brinjal with a knife and insert the garlic cloves inside.
• Roast brinjal and tomatoes over fire.
• Take out and leave aside to cool.
• Remove the skin of tomatoes and brinjal. Mash it with a fork.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and enjoy with litti.

Breads



Chawal Ki Roti

Ingredients : 2 cup
: 1 and ½ cup
Rice Flour : ½ tspn
Water : 1 tspn
Salt
Vegetable Oil
Melted Ghee

Method

• Heat water in a kadhai/patila.
• Add salt and oil and let the water come to boil.
• Switch off the flame and add the rice flour.
• Keep stirring to avoid any lumps.
• Knead the dough with your hand. Be careful as the dough will be still hot.
• Now make even size rounds. Dust it and roll to make 6 inch diameter rounds.
• Cook on a tawa on both sides.
• Once cooked, brush with melted ghee.

Chini Ka Paratha

Get the benefit of being in the sun and participate in the ritual of making badi under the strict
eyes of grandmother. This is how it used to be in every joint family at the start of winter.
Drying it under the sun and then preserving it for months to be used in combination with other
vegetables.
It can be prepared with urad, moong or any other dal and is readily available in grocery shops
around the country as Badi or Adori
The dish tastes best if we combine some fresh methi leaves with it.

For Dough Method

Whole wheat flour : 2 cup • Make a normal atta (whole wheat flour)
Milk : ½ cup dough as we do for rotis.
Water for dough
• Mix together sugar and elaichi powder.
For Stuffing • Roll it to 3 inch round. Put a spoonful of sugar

Sugar : 3 tbsp mixture in center and fold from side toward
Green Elaichi powder : a pinch center. Press to seal it.
• Roll the filled balls to 6 inch diameter rounds.
• Heat the tawa and cook on both sides.
• Add ghee and cook further on both sides.
• Serve hot

Chana Dal Poori

Traditionally Dal Poori used to be a fried item and chances are you will get the fried one if you
visit any shop but now a days the one which is cooked on tawa has become more common in
household and I am sharing the same with you all.

For Dough Method

Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) : 2 cups • Soak the chana dal overnight in enough water.
Salt : a pinch • Pressure cook the chana dal with turmeric powder.

For Stuffing Do not put for too long or it will become mashy.
• Drain in strainer to remove excess water.
Chana Dal : ¾ cup • In the meantime, make a soft but firm dough with
Whole Cumin (Jeera) : ¼ tspn
Ginger Paste : ½ tspn Atta, salt and water. Leave covered for 20 minutes.
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tspn • Transfer the cooked chana dal to a bowl and mash it.
Red Chilli Powder : ¼ tspn • Take a kadai with 2 spoon of mustard oil. Heat it.
Jeera Powder : ¼ tspn • Add the hing to release the flavor.
Amchur Powder : ¼ tspn • Now add whole jeera and let it splutter.
Hing : ¼ tspn • Add ginger paste, red chilli powder and jeera
Mustard Oil : 50 ml
Salt : to taste powder. You can even add a spoon of water if you
think it may burn. Just cook for a minute.
• Add the mashed chana dal, amchur powder and salt.
Mix well.
• Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
• Divide the dough in lemon size balls.
• Roll it to 3 inch round. Put a spoonful of dal mixture
in center and fold from side toward center.
Press to seal it.
• Roll the filled balls to 6 inch diameter rounds.
• Heat the tawa to medium. Put the rolled poori on it.
• Flip it and apply mustard oil on top.
• Flip again and apply mustard oil.
• Flip once more to get a nice golden color.
• Serve with aloo sabji and kheer.

Marua Roti

Marua, also known as Ragi (Finger Millet) is a very nutritious food. The dough can be made
with both cold and lukewarm water. Cold water will produce crispy roti whereas using luke-
warm water gives a softer texture.

For Dough

Marua ka Atta : 200 gm
Water : 80-90 ml
Atta for dusting : 50 gm
Ghee : 1 tbsp

Method

• Keep the atta for dusting aside.
• Make a soft dough with the rest of atta and leave for 10 minutes.
• Make 4 round balls. Flatten it to make patty.
• Lightly dust and roll to make 6 inch diameter roti. The thickness should be 6-8mm.
• Cook on slow flame on tawa.
• Remove from tawa and spread a layer of ghee.
• Serve hot.

Makuni

( Stuffed Sattu Paratha )

A delight , this is surely going to surprise all stuffed paratha lovers with its more earthy flavor.
The ingredients for makuni and litti are the same but the cooking method is different. The se-
cret lies in the use of mustard oil rather than refined oil or ghee.

For Dough

Make a normal atta (whole wheat flour)
dough as we do for rotis.

For Stuffing

Sattu : 3/4 cup
Chopped Onion : 1 tbsp
Chopped Ginger : 1 inch
Chopped Garlic : ½ tspn
Ajwain : ¼ tspn
Green Chilli chopped : 2 no.
Onion seed/ Mangrail : ¼ tspn
Salt : to taste
Coriander/ dhania leaves : 1 tspn
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Mustard oil or Ghee : 50 ml for frying

Method

• Take all the ingredients of stuffing except for mustard oil/ghee in a bowl and mix nicely.
• If it is very dry, add a spoon of water to make it a little lumpy.
• Now divide the dough in equal portions little bigger than roti balls.
• Make a round in the center and put a spoonful of sattu mixture and seal completely.
• Dust the surface and roll it.
• Heat a tawa or frying pan to medium and cook the stuffed paratha from both sides.

Once the paratha puffs up, add drops of mustard oil and turn it over.
• Serve hot with mango pickle.

sweets



Chawal Ki Kheer

Kheer or rice pudding is one of the most common desserts which is prepared in every house-
hold. What is needed is fresh harvested rice, whole milk and sugar. Anything we add like elaic-
hi, gulabjal, nuts, saffron, rose petals is all optional and is subjective to the person cooking it.
Freshly harvested rice has lots of starch which makes the kheer even more creamier. Basmati
rice is the most preferred one as it gives nice fragrance and flavor.
It’s a personal preference that we consume it chilled or hot.Both ways it’s just yummy.

Ingredients

Rice : 1/4 cup
Milk : 1 Litre
Sugar : 150 gms
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Green Cardamom(Elaichi) : 5-6 nos
Saffron : 2-3 strands
Raisin : 1 tablespoon
Chopped Nuts : 2 tablespoon (almond, pista, cashew)

Method

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside. It helps the rice to cook faster.
• Soak the saffron in 4 tablespoon of lukewarm milk.
• Take the seeds from elaichi, and powder it.
• Take a pan with a heavy bottom, add ghee and let it melt. Fry the chopped nuts and keep aside.

Now add the rice and saute for 2 minutes taking care that it does not change color.
• Add milk and let it come to boil stirring in between. Once the milk starts to boil, lower the flame

and let it simmer for around 20 minutes stirring in between 2 minutes. Check the rice it
should break and become a bit mashy.
• Now add sugar, saffron, elaichi powder and cook till sugar is dissolved.
• Add the fried nuts. Mix and put off the flame.
• The kheer might look a bit runny now, but it will thicken once it cools down.
• Serve hot or chilled as per choice.

Sabudana ki Kheer

A must have ingredient for any “fasting” observed during Shivratri, Navratri or any Hindu
religious occasion.
Sabudana or Sago is also known as tapioca pearls. While cooking we need to remember that
being starch it will thicken on its own when cool, so adjust the consistency properly. This kheer
should be consumed warm.

Ingredients

Sabudana : 3/4 cup
Cashew : 5-7 pcs
Kismis (Raisins) : 10- 15pcs
Ghee : ½ tbsp
Milk : 1 litre
Sugar : 4-5 tbsp
Gulabjal (Rosewater) : few drops

Method



• Wash and rinse sabudana for 2-3 times in water. Soak in water and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Drain the water.

• In the meantime, heat ghee in a pan and roast the cashew and raisins to golden color.
• Take another patila, add milk and continue to cook until it starts to boil.
• Add the drained sabudana, lower the heat and continue to cook stirring in between until the

sabudana becomes soft to touch.
• Add sugar and let it dissolve.
• Sprinkle the gulabjal, add the roasted cashew and raisins.
• Serve warm.

Peda

What we need? Just Milk and Sugar.
One can find many recipes where it starts with use of khoya(mawa) or condensed milk but to
get that earthy flavor and real taste of peda we should avoid these ingredients and keep reduc-
ing the milk and scraping the side of kadai for that perfect peda. If the texture is granular at
last, just mash it under palm or grind in it mixer to get the smooth surface. Personally I prefer
the granular texture. Just need to have patience.

Ingredients

Whole milk : 1 ltr
Sugar : ½ cup
Elaichi : 4-5 no
Pista (optional) : 8-10pcs
Ghee- to grease : ½ tbsp

Method

• Take a kadhai. You can also use non stick kadhai to prevent the milk from sticking to the
sides and burning.

• Add ghee to kadai and spread all over the sides. This will prevent the milk from sticking to
the kadai.

• Add milk, keep stirring and let it come to boil. Put the flame to medium and reduce the milk
by one-fourth.

• In the meantime , remove the outer covering of elaichi and powder it. Chop or slice the pista.
• When the reduced milk mixture becomes thick enough to hold the back of spoon,

add the sugar and elaichi powder.
• Reduce further to soft dough like consistency. Put off the flame.
• Divide the reduced mixture in equal size balls, press under palm and garnish

with pista.
• Your peda is ready to be consumed.

Parwal Ki Mithai

You must have eaten Aloo Parwal ki Sabji but what about the sweet delicacy which is so pop-
ular in Bihar. Parwal needs to be boiled first, soaked in rose water flavoured sugar syrup and
then stuffed with mawa.

Ingredients

Parwal- medium size : 10 pc
Sugar : 1 and ½ cup
Mawa : 1 cup
Cashew-broken : 2 tbsp
Ghee : 1 tspn
Milk : 2 tbsp
Rose water : 1 tspn
Rose Petals : few
Pistachio-Chopped : 1 tbsp

Method


• Grate or mash the mawa. Powder half cup of sugar and keep aside. Powder the cashews.
• Take a saucepan with 3 cups of water, add a cup of sugar and let it come to boil.Simmer and let

it cook to make sugar syrup. The consistency should be such that the parwal gets a thin uniform
coating throughout when dipped in sugar syrup.
• In the meantime wash parwal, scrap the skin and cut on both sides.
• Make a vertical cut throughout the one side so that we can remove the pulp and seed. Discard
the pulp and seed.
• Take a pan, add water and let it come to boil. Now add the parwal, lower the heat and cook for
5 minutes.
• Take out the parwal, and leave to drain the water.
• Put the boiled parwal in the sugar syrup and cook further for 5 minutes, taking care not to
break the parwal. Put off the flame and add rose water.
• Take a pan, add ghee and heat to medium. Now add the grated mawa, powdered sugar and
powdered cashews. Mix well. Add the crushed rose petals. Put off the flame.
• Now take a spoonful of mawa mixture and stuff it in the parwal.
• Sprinkle some pistachio.
• The delicious parwal ki mithai is ready to be served.

Makhane ki Kheer

Think kheer and we just end up making Chawal ki Kheer everytime. Try this delicious and
creamy texture makhane ki kheer and chances are you might forget chawal ki kheer. It is very
common during any Vrat( fasting) time. Being easily digestible it can even be used to feed
babies.
Substituting sugar with Gur (Jaggery) gives any kheer a whole different dimension.
You can substitute the milk with condensed milk to save on time but the flavor we get by re-
ducing the milk is totally different.

Ingredients

Makhana : 1 cup
Cashew : 10-12 pcs
Kismis (Raisins) : 25-20 pcs
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Milk : 700 ml
Sugar : 4-5 tbsp
Gulabjal (Rosewater) : few drops

Method


• Heat a pan with ghee, saute the cashew and raisins to golden color. Remove and keep aside.
• Saute the makhana in the same pan.Take out and keep aside. Coarsely grind half the mahanas.
• Take a heavy bottomed patila, put milk and cook on medium heat stirring continuously.
• Once the milk comes to boil, reduce flame.
• Let the milk reduce by one-third. Now add the grounded makhana and cook further for 5

minutes.
• Add the remaining makhana to the milk and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
• Keep stirring.
• Add sugar and let it dissolve.
• Now add the sauted cashew and raisins. Put off the flame.
• Add rosewater, stir and serve hot or cold as desired.

Maner ke Ladoo

What we need? Just Milk and Sugar.
One can find many recipes where it starts with use of khoya(mawa) or condensed milk but to
get that earthy flavor and real taste of peda we should avoid these ingredients and keep reduc-
ing the milk and scraping the side of kadai for that perfect peda. If the texture is granular at
last, just mash it under palm or grind in it mixer to get the smooth surface. Personally I prefer
the granular texture. Just need to have patience.

Ingredients

Besan : 2 cup
Melted ghee : 1 tbsp
Melted Ghee/Refine : to fry
Melon Seed : 1 tspn
Elaichi Powder : ¼ tspn
Baking Soda : a pinch
Edible yellow color : a pinch
Sugar : 2 cup
Water : 1 cup for syrup
Kewra Water : 2 tbsp
Water : for batter

Method

• Sieve together besan and soda. Add the melted ghee and mix. Now add the water slowly to
make a smooth and thick batter. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

• Make sugar syrup, add the color. Add elachi powder and kewra water
• Heat ghee in kadhai to medium. Take a jhara, perforated spoon with fine holes over the kadhai

and pour a ladle of besan batter.
• Move the jhara up and down so that the batter drops in the kadhai.
• Let the boondis cook for around a minute without change in color. Remove with a sieve and

keep aside.
• Do the same with all the batter.
• Now transfer the fried boondi to the sugar syrup and cook on low heat so all the syrup is ob

served.
• Remove the boondi and spread on a plate. Add the melon seeds.
• Once the mixture cools down, take a small portion and press it between your palms to form a

round shape.
• We will get about 12-15 ladoo.

Khaja

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour/Maida : 1 cup
Melted Ghee : 2 tbsp
Water : ⅓ cup
Oil : to fry

Method


• Take maida and ghee in a bowl and mix well. Slowly add water and knead it to make a tight

dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make three string sugar syrup. Add rose water.
• Roll the dough to a thin sheet. Dust some maida on top of the sheet.
• Start to roll the sheet over the rolling pin. Do it with the whole sheet spread.
• Cut and remove the sides.
• Now cut the whole rolled sheet to 1.5 inch thickness.
• Flatten the pieces with a rolling pin.
• Fry it over medium heat to light golden in color.
• Take out and dip in sugar syrup for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove and keep aside for excess sugar syrup to drain off.
• Once cooled, store in an airtight container.



Accompaniments

Aloo ka Achaar

A very easy and interesting way to put a twist to potatoes.

Ingredients

Potato : 1 kg
Dry Red Chilli : 3 pc
Cumin : 1 tspn
Saunf : 1 tspn
Mustard Seed : 1 tbsp
Coriander seed : 1 tspn
Ajwain : 1 tspn
Turmeric Powder : 1 tspn
Mustard Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt : to taste

Method

• Wash potatoes. Put it to boil in salted water.
• Once cooked, drain and peel.
• Cut into small dice as we do for any sabji.
• Now we need to spread the potatoes in the sun to dry it for 3-4 hours.This will help to increase

the shelf life of pickles.
• Meanwhile, take dry red chilli, cumin, saunf, mustard seed, coriander seed and ajwain in a pan

and dry roast it.
• Grind the roasted masala in mortar and pestle or mixer, making sure not to make it like a powder.
• Add the ground masala and rest of the ingredients to boiled and dried potatoes.
• The achaar is ready to be consumed.
• Take care to consume the achaar within 4-5 days.

Bhune Tisi ki Chutney

Flaxseed-yes, you got it. Our grandparents were prudent enough to understand the health
benefits of tisi which is classified under superfoods in supermarket shelves. It’s just about going
back to the roots all over again.

Ingredients : ½ cup
: 2-3 no
Flax seed : 2 tbsp
Whole Red Chilli
Lemon Juice

Method


• Take a pan or kadhai and put on medium heat.
• Add whole red chilli and flaxseed and dry roast. Take care not to burn.
• Leave to cool a bit.
• Use a mortar and pestle to crush if you want a coarse texture or else simply grind

it in a mixer grinder.
• Add salt, mix well.
• Serve it like chutney with a few drops of lemon juice.

Oal ki Chutney

One of the speciality dishes where Elephant Yam (Oal) is boiled, mixed with the minimum

Ingredients : 500 gm
: 1 tspn
Elephant Yam : ¾ tspn
Green Chili chopped : 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : to garnish
Mustard Oil : to taste
Coriander leaves
Salt

Method

• Wash and peel yam. Cut into small cubes and put in pressure cooker with turmeric powder to cook.
• Once yam is cooked, mash it nicely.
• Add green chilli, salt and mustard oil. Mix well.
• Leave it under the sun to mature, taking care to stir occasionally.
• The chutney is perfect to be consumed after 2 days of drying under the sun.
• If it appears to become too dry, add some more mustard oil and mix well.

Aam Ki Khatti Mithi Chutney

The dish can be prepared with both sugar or jaggery as per choice. Once cooled, it can be pre-
served for months in a sealed container.

Ingredients

Raw Mango peeled and dice : 250 gm
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tspn
Turmeric Powder : ¼ tspn
Sugar : 150 gm
Salt : ½ tspn
Panchforan : ½ tspn
Hing Powder : ¼ tspn
Oil : 1 tbsp

Method


• Mix mango, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and leave for 30

\minutes mixing 1-2 times.
• Heat oil in a pan, add panchforan and hing powder and let the seeds crackle.
• Add the mango mix to the apn and cook on low heat stirring occasionally for almost 10 minutes
• Let the liquid be observed. Turn off the flame.
• Let it cool.

Aam Pudine ki Chutney

One of the speciality dishes where Elephant Yam (Oal) is boiled, mixed with the minimum

Ingredients

Raw Mango : 200 gm
Mint : 1 cup
Green Chilli : 5-6 no
Garlic : 2 cloves
Cumin Seed : 1 tspn
Fennel Seed : 1 tspn
Salt : to taste

Method

• Dry roast cumin seed, fennel seed and garlic.
• Peel and cut mango in pieces.
• Take all the ingredients and grind to a coarse paste.
• It can be easily refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Tilauri

This recipe of original tilauri is fast being replaced with the ones made of rice flour. The name
comes from “Til”, sesame seed which is used to make this. Tilauri is deep fried once dried and
served as an accompaniment whereas Komhrauri, Danauri, Tisiauri and Adori is made like a
sabji or in addition with any other vegetables.

Ingredients : 200 gm
: 100 gm
Urad Dal : to taste
White Sesame Seed
Salt

Method


• Soak Urad dal overnight in water.

Wash 2-3 times nicely and drain.
• Grind to a thick consistency. Add

sesame seed and salt, mix properly.
• Beat with a hand to incorporate air and

make the paste light and fluffy.
• Spread a clean cloth under the sun.
• Wet your hands and start to put small drops

of tilauri paste one by one.
• Let it dry completely for at least 2 days.

( Do not leave outside once sun sets)
• Fry it before serving.

NOTE: The method is same for all the variations


• Tisiauri: Tisi (Flax Seed) is used instead of sesame seed.
• Danauri: Poppy seed is used instead of sesame seed
• Komhrauri: Ash Gourd is used with lentil and spices

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