The idea of pairing a flatbread with a curry is not uncommon in India. In several parts of north and south, bread is an essential component of all meals. The Indian flatbread comes in various forms, including roti, parathas, naan etc. For breakfast, parts of North India like Punjab rely on parathas. Similarly, Biharis swear by their dhuskas.
For the unversed, dhuska is a type of fried pancake made with lentils and rice. The batter is prepared and deep-fried until golden-brown. This pancake is then paired with a delicious gravy called ghugni. A spicy black chickpea curry is prepared and served alongside the dhuska to make it a complete meal. A commonly-eaten breakfast combination in the state, dhuska and ghugni are often prepared for the morning meal in Bihari households.
The good part is that ghugni can be either dry or curried, depending upon your preference and sometimes, a potato gravy is paired with dhuska instead of ghugni. For making the pancake, urad dal and chana dal are soaked in water and then ground into a fine paste. The batter is then mixed with raw rice and is poured on a pan. The round-shaped bread is then cooked from both sides until it turns crispy. The dhuska resembles the vella paniyaram of Tamil Nadu in terms of taste yet has a Bihari touch to it that is added with ghughni.
For ghugni, black chickpeas are soaked overnight. Tomatoes and onions are sautéed with a few spices. After this, the soaked chickpeas are added to the pot. This is then mixed with cumin seeds, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Water is added to let it cook for some time and the tangy flavour is attained with the addition of aamchur powder and garam masala.
This freshly-prepared curry is then poured in a small bowl and served with dhuska. Moreover, it is not just Bihar that is known for this yummy combination. It is also popular in several parts of Jharkhand. This doesn’t come as a surprise given the historical connection and close proximity between the two states in India.