How many of us just know the food of Bihar and Jharkhand to be litti choka, dhuska and going by the current social media trend, champaran meat? But isn't it amusing that a land filled with so much diversity in terms of language and culture has only been defined by a couple of dishes? Gurugram based Premium Modern Indian diner, SAGA, along with Bihar Tourism is attempting to change this very perception and hence they have come up with ‘The Unsung Magadh’. It is a food & cultural festival from the rich land of Bihar and Jharkhand. This festival is the second chapter of ‘The Great Indian Platter’ Series, a series dedicated to exploring & unearthing the rich food heritage of different states of India.
Unsung is just the right word for how underrated the cuisine is. And unsung is also the right word for most of the dishes that were chosen to be a part of the menu. Being from Jharkhand, the menu did remind me of several mornings when I woke up to the aroma of chiwda and ghoogni and of dinners that would end with delicious raspua. The very original festival menu has been curated by Head Chef Kush Koli, under the guidance of Michelin-Star Chef Atul Kochhar & Founder of SAGA, Vishal Anand, who both have deep roots in Bihar as their common birth place.
Coming to the food, we started with chidiya samosa, a street chaat that took me back to the afternoons I spent in Ranchi, hiding from my mother to go buy samosa chaat from that one bhaiya who used to make it perfectly – just the right amout of khatta-meetha-teekha. The other starters that really stood out were Bihari boti, posto machli and chiwda-ghoogni, the latter being an underrated gem that the world needs to discover soon. The Bihari boti was perfectly cooked, and came with a chutney that really brought out its flavours. The posto machli was wrapped in leaves and smelled of pungent mustard oil. It really added to the nostalgia factor and turned out to be my most favourite starter.
Coming to the drinks, both the cocktails and mocktails packed a solid punch. The sabja lemonade, a refreshing mocktail with a punch of lemon and basil seeds, and the khatta-meetha aam were both very well balanced and not too overwhelming to have with the flavourful food that was served. From the cocktail section, bhaat sunrise, a rendition of the local handiya made in Jharkhand with rice liquor was the standout drink. It was in fact the star of the menu. The other cocktails served were gud ki sharbat with a tequila base and spicy sattu with a vodka base and both were just as great.
The main course was a perfectly planned feast to give the authentic taste of Magadh. Those who are not familiar with the food of Bihar and Jharkhand are in for a sweet, spicy, flavour loaded surprise. From the Ranchi ka pulao, which had raisins, potato and aubergine, to the Ahuna mutton and besan ki sabji – everything tasted like they were not just made with skills, but with respect for the cuisine. Chef Atul Kochhar, while talking about the menu, said that it was an entire process to get it right. Calling it a perfectly coordinated team work, he credited Chef Koli, Vishal Anand and the several people that they got in touch with to get the recipes right.
The meal ended on a high note with makhane ki kheer and traditional raspua. The kheer tasted exactly like the one I have grown up eating during holi feasts in my Ranchi neighbourhood, with a smoky smell. The pua was as delicious as it could get. A Beautiful Madhubani painting along with packets of makhana and sattu awaited us as a sweet token of love and an ode to the lovey cuisine we just had. This 15-day Cultural Festival is on from February 18th to March 5th 2023. Pay SAGA a visit if you want a true taste of Magadh.