Long before famous Bhojpuri singer and BJP leader Manoj Tiwari sang his ‘International Litti Chokha’ song, Bihar’s cuisine has often been identified with the dish made of wheat flour and roasted gram, eaten with mashed, roasted vegetables.
The Bihar government has now come out with a list of 18 delicacies from the state, showcasing a cuisine that includes, but goes far beyond, litti-chokha.
Describing litti-chokha, the government’s website says: “It consists of wheat and sattu with spices, kneaded into round spicy balls, dipped in ghee. The texture of litti, along with the crunchy crust, makes it a foodie’s delight. Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled vegetables (most common being potatoes, brinjal, tomatoes), adding spices and chopped onion, garlic, etc., and served with litti as a complementary delicacy.”
Kadhi bari, made of besan, or gram flour, also makes the list. This is served with steamed rice. “Accompaniments should be some dry subzi or pakodas, even dry baris or fritters, which are not dipped in the gravy or kadhi, can accompany this dish.”
Chana ghughni, a spicy-tangy evening snack, is another item on the list. “Boiled chickpeas, fried with onion and spices along with ‘chuda ka bhuja’ (flattened rice) make it a perfect answer to satisfy your hunger! Flattened and dried gram is also used to make other salty snacks,” the description says.
Pittha, a traditional delicacy, bears a resemblance to the popular momo, but boasts a unique flavour profile that sets it apart. This versatile dish can be prepared in both savoury and sweet variations. The semi-circular or ball-shaped pittha is crafted from soft rice flour dough, typically filled with a mixture of chana dal lentil paste or poppy seeds, and then steamed in water or milk to achieve its distinctive texture.
The list also includes several sweets. Among these was the laddoo of Maner, near Patna. The dish is a laddoo made of gram flour, sugar, and ghee. Another sweet on the list, tilkut, also known as tilkatri, is a traditional sweet from Gaya, made with pounded sesame seeds and jaggery or sugar. The best tilkut is said to come from Gaya and is typically associated with Makar Sankranti.
Another sweet on the showcase list is belgrami, made in Udwant Nagar, near Arrah town. It is made of cheese, ghee, and sugar. The Kheer makhana of Darbhanga, prepared with milk, sugar, and makhana, is also in the list.
Silao village, near Biharsharif, is famous for its traditional khaja, a sweet made with wheat flour, sugar, and ghee, available in varieties like chandshahi and Gandhi topa, with the rectangular shape being the most popular. The khoye-ki-lai of Barh, near Patna, is a sweet made with ‘khobi’ or ‘ramdana’ seeds, khoa, and sugar. Ramdana, or amaranth, is now gaining global popularity as a superfood, but has been a staple in Bihar’s cuisine for ages.
Another sweet on the list is chandrakala, which has a crispy exterior filled with sweetened khoya, coconut, cardamom powder, and dry fruits, and is dipped in sugar syrup. Balushahi, yet another sweet delicacy on the list, is a porous flour cup filled with khoya, spices, and sometimes saffron. The khoya filling is mildly sweetened and has spices like cardamom and cinnamon, all encased in a crispy fried flour shell.
Parwal-ki-mithai is made with pointed gourd, whose inner pulp is scooped out, before it is boiled, dipped in syrup, and filled with a sweet khoya preparation. Then there’s malpua, made with a mix of maida, milk, banana, grated coconut, cashew nuts, raisins, sugar, water, and green cardamom — all fried to perfection in ghee.
Bhuja, which is puffed fried rice mixed with roasted gram; dahi-chooda, which is beaten rice; and khichdi, a soupy preparation with rice and daal; are also on the list.
The Bihari thali, a complete lunch or dinner, also makes the list. “It is a composite food choice from Bihar, whose ingredients keep changing on the basis of specific seasons, but the commonest of its ingredients that remain constant throughout the year include rice, roti, achar, chatni, dals, and milk, besides a variety of sweets,” the government site description says.
Centuries-old delicacies
Ravishankar Upadhayay, public relations officer with the state’s tourism department and author of ‘Bihar Ke Vyanjan (Bihar’s Cuisine)’, told The Indian Express: “Our ethnic delicacies go back to the Mauryan period and the time of the Buddha. Pittha, kheer and pua go back to these periods. Ramcharitmanas has a description of dahi-chooda.”
He said, “We have region-wise delicacies, which need to be advertised.”
A Bihar government official said, “We will add to the cuisine list. We have also informally requested hotels in the state to showcase Bihar’s delicacies to guests from outside Bihar and India. There’s a lot more than the famed litti-chokha.”
Bihar showcases 18 traditional delicacies beyond iconic litti-chokha, highlighting the state’s diverse culinary heritage.(Photo: PR handout) 
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