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 – 35: Kusi Kherao Jhor
Lai ka laddoo
Being from Bihar, the association of lai ka laddoo and Barh actually evokes the feeling of nostalgia and taste bud takes me down the memory lane of my growing up years. My visit to Barh would be incomplete without a packet of lai ka laddoo that my loving aunt would religiously pack for us. Lai or ramdana ke laddoo is a great treat to keep one warm in the chilly winter. Barh is famous for a ball shaped sweet prepared with ramdana seeds or khobi, khoya and jaggery or sugar. Rich in nutrients and flavour, lai ka laddoo has several health benefits and is also consumed as a fasting food.
Ingredients
Lai : 250 gms
Khoya : 100 gms
Gur : 250 gms
Water
Ghee : 1 tsp
Step 1
Roast the lai in a thick bottom pan stirring continuously. Once the seeds pop up switch off the flame.
Step 2
Roast khoya in a separate vessel. Keep it aside.
Step 3
In a separate pan heat jaggery with two tsp water. Once it comes to a boil and reaches the desired consistency add a tsp of ghee and turn off the heat.
Step 4
Next pour the gur (jaggery) syrup over the roasted lai and also add the roasted khoya. Mix them all together.
Step 5
Grease your palm with ghee and make laddu when the mixture is still hot. It will become difficult to bind the ladoo if the mixture gets cold.
Step 6
Once the laddoos cool down, store in an airtight container.
*Nandini Bhushan is a well-known food blogger
