Make yourself Bihari cuisine Part 9: Ardra Nakshatra Ki Thali

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By Nandini Bhushan*

From Vat Savitri to Chhath Puja, and from humble litti chokha to the traditional dal pitha, Bihar is blessed with all the flavour and spirit of pomp and splendor. Eddie Kennyson rightly said, “when opportunity presents itself, don’t be afraid to go after it.” In these columns I shall not only be telling something about my native state Bihar through the window of its festival and food, but shall also offer the recipe so that one can try it oneself.

Bihari cuisine, I believe deserves its long overdue credit, as it is one of the most unexplored and under rated food today despite being full of flavours and among the most palatable cuisines. In today’s world of marketing and flamboyance, we seriously need a makeover of the sumptuous Bihari food to find its rightful niche in the gastronomical world. We need to present our recipe to the global audience, and being a food enthusiast myself, it is my humble attempt to present a traditional Bihari food with an interesting variation.

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Also try: Make yourself Bihari cuisines Part 8: Fish curry (Sarson Rohu)

Ardra Nakshatra Ki Thali (Dalpuri, Kheer aur Aam)

Ardra Nakshatra holds a mythological significance in the Hindu tradition as it marks the beginning of the wet season. And since food has always been influenced by Mother Nature itself, it is customary in Bihar to offer this “Ardra Nakshatra Ki Thali ” to our deity during this particular time. I believe that each one of us have grown up eating this traditional thali consisting of dal stuffed puri, kheer and aam. Indeed a must try dish to enjoy the special flavor of monsoon in Bihar.

Ingredients

Wheat flour : 500 grams

Chana dal : 250 grams

Turmeric powder : 1\2 tsp

Asafoetida : 1\4 tsp

Green chilli : 4

Black pepper : 1 tsp

Grated ginger : 1 tsp

Cumin powder : 1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Garam masala powder : 1\2 tsp

Oil : for frying

Step 1 

Knead the flour with salt and 2 tsp of oil and lukewarm water into a semi stiff dough. Cover it with damp cloth and let it rest for another thirty minutes.

Step 2

Boil the dal along with turmeric and salt with one cup of water for one whistle and about five minutes on slow flame. Once done if required dry the excess water so that that dal dries up. 

Step 3

Transfer the dal in a separate bowl and crush the dal with the help of a spoon.

Step 4

Add the rest of the masala along with sliced green chilli and lemon juice into the dal and combine them all together.

Step 5

Make an equal sized ball from the dough. Roll each of them into small puris and place the dal filling in the center. Gather the edges and roll out into small puris.

Step 6

Heat oil in a thick bottom pan and deep fry the puris until they are crispy and golden brown.

*Nandini Bhushan is a well-known food blogger