Custom Made: Recipes From Bihar and Uttar Pradesh

These traditional recipes from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh guarantee a delicious meal.

 

Dal Pithori (Whole Wheat Dumplings in Lentil Broth)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes + 15 minutes resting time

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Calorie count: 496 calories (per serving)

 

Ingredients:

½ tsp chilli powder

1 small tomato, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 big, dsry red chilli

10 green chillies, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

3 tsp oil

Salt, to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 cups water+extra if needed

1 cup toor dal

 

For the dough:

1 cup water

Salt, to taste

3 tsp ghee

2 cups wheat flour

 

Method:

1. To prepare the dough, place the ghee, salt, and wheat flour in a large bowl and mix with your fingertips. Adding a little water at a time, knead the dough to a smooth ball. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 15 minutes. To prepare the dumplings, roll out small balls into roundels, and pinch the edges together to a flower shape. Set aside.
2. Cook the dal with turmeric powder and water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Cool the cooker before opening it. 
3. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan over a medium-high flame. Splutter the mustard and cumin seeds, dry red chilli, green chilli and garlic and saute for a minute. Add the onion and saute until pink. Add the tomatoes and saute until softened. Sprinkle the red chilli powder and mix well.
4. Add the cooked dal and mix again.
5. Add the prepared dumplings to the dal and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes stirring at regular intervals to prevent the dumplings from sticking to each other.
6. Check the seasoning and serve hot.

Tip: Serve the dal pithori with a drizzle of ghee and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

 

Dhuska (Lentil and Rice Fried Bread)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes + overnight soaking

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Calorie count: 946 calories (per serving)

 

Ingredients:

200 ml oil, for deep frying

Salt, to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cumin powder

3 tsp coriander, chopped

1 tsp green chilli, chopped

1 tsp ginger, grated

3 cups rice

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic

½ cup chana dal

 

Method:

1. Soak the chana and rice together overnight. The next morning, drain them, reserving half cup of the cooking water. Grind the black peppercorns, garlic, rice and dal and the reserved soaking to a thick batter in a mixer.
2. Take out the batter in a bowl, and add salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander, green chilli and ginger. Mix well.
3. Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan over a medium-high flame. Pour in a ladleful of the batter, letting the mixture spread into a dhuska. Cook the dhuska for two to three minutes on each side or until it starts getting a lovely red colour. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. Drain the dhuskas on kitchen towels and serve hot.

Tip: Serve the dhuskas with tomato chutney.

 

Tehri (Spicy Rice Cooked With Vegetables)

Serves: 4

Prept ime: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Calroie count: 566 calories (per serving)

 

Ingredients:

Salt, to taste

4 cups water

2 cups basmati rice

100 g cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

1 big potato, chopped

100 g carrot, chopped

200 g green peas

3 tsp garam masala powder

3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 green chillies

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2-3 cloves

1 star anise

2 big brown cardamoms

1 stick cinnamon

4-5 black peppercorns

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp ghee

 

Method:

1. Heat the ghee in a thick-bottomed deep pan over a medium-high flame. Toss in the cloves, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until you get rid of the raw smell. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are golden brown. Toss in the green chillies and saute for two minutes.
3. Add the garam masala powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
4. Toss in the cauliflower florets, potatoes, carrots, and green peas and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring at intervals.
5. Add the rice, toast it for two minutes, and adjust the seasoning. Next, add the water, cover and cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes until the rice is done. Serve hot.

Tip: Serve the Tehri with raita, papad, chutney and pickle.