Make Yourself Bihari Food Part – 23: Karhi Bari

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.

Also try: Make Yourself Bihari Food Part – 22: Khichri

Karhi Bari

Karhi Bari is a blissfully comforting food and is cooked on special occasions in Bihar. Made with yogurt and chickpea flour, Karhi has a lot of variations across our country but the soft and fluffy Bari or the pakoras and its irresistible texture makes it a distinct one. Karhi Bari is a highly popular dish in Bihar and is even cooked on a daily basis as a regular food item along with plain steamed rice.

Ingredients

For the Bari

Besan : 100 grams

Turmeric powder : 1\2 tsp

Red chilli powder : 1 tsp

Salt : 1\2 tsp

Oil

For the Karhi

Sour curd : 1 cup

Besan : 4 tsp

Turmeric powder : 1 tsp

Salt

For the tampering

Garlic : 6 to 8 pod

Mustard seed : 1 tsp

Asafetida : a pinch

Curry leaves : 6

Dried red chilli : 2

Ghee : 2 tsp

Step 1

Mix the besan and masala powder in a bowl. Add water to make a thick batter and whisk it so that the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

Step 2

Heat oil in a pan and fry the Bari on a medium flame and once done keep it aside.

Step 3

For the Karhi mix the sour curd with the besan and whiskit together. Add two glasses of water and blend it together.

Step 4

In a pan add 2 tsp of ghee and add the hing and let it release its flavor. Add the chopped garlic and when it changes its color put mustard seed and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and dried red chilli.

Step 5

Reduce the flame and add the curd mix into the tampering stirring continuously. Once it comes to a boil add the Bari and let it cook further for about ten minutes or until the besan is cooked.

Step 6

Enjoy the Karhi Bari with plain steamed rice.

*Nandini Bhushan is a well-known food blogger