Bihari cuisine is well-known for its decadent desserts, which are a staple of Bihari festivals and everyday life. Sweets made famous in Bihar showcase the state's food craze and sweet tooth, which includes sweets made with nuts, daal, makhana, chashni, jaggery and more. The sweets vary with the seasons and festivals, using the ingredients that are part of the regional celebrations and, at times the prasad.
Malpua
Malpua is a classic Indian dessert made like pancakes infused with cardamom and fennel. Malpuas differ from traditional Western pancakes by having a soft and delicate within and a crunchy outside layer. The batter is fried in ghee or oil until fully cooked. Once done, the pancakes are covered with a sugary syrup. Nuts are commonly tossed on top, while malpuas are occasionally accompanied by rabri. Local versions may use items such as mashed banana, mango pulp, or coconut into the batter. The peculiar sour flavour of malpua is obtained from the addition of yoghurt or curd in the batter.
Dal Pitha
Traditional Bihari sweets also include dal pitha, which are dumplings filled with sweet or savoury contents and either steamed or fried in a batter made of rice flour. Chana dal is the main ingredient in the filling, which is often sweet. You can eat it fried, steamed, or boiled; the batter covers a healthy filling. The lentil stuffing makes dal pitha unique, yet it is otherwise quite similar to pithas from Odisha and West Bengal. For more flavour, try it with chutneys. You can have it for breakfast, as a snack, or even with dinner. You can consume it as either savoury or sweet, since it hits the line considerably.
Khaja
The Nalanda district of Bihar is home to the centuries-old khaja, and more specifically, the famous Silao Khaja. The distinctively crisp texture is a result of the local water and climate, and it is achieved by stacking and deep-frying extremely thin, multi-layered dough sheets before soaking in sugar syrup. Traditionally, the Sahs group of Halwais pastry cooks would make the 12-to 16-layer tasty dessert. Its characteristic crispy texture, similar to baklava, is achieved by combining refined flour, clarified butter, sugar, and water-rolled paper thin. This recipe is a mainstay during celebrations such as Dussehra and Diwali.
Thekua
In Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and even certain parts of Nepal, thekua takes an essential part in the Chhath Puja celebration. This crispy cookie-type sweet, which goes by the names Thokwa and Thekariis, is served as prasad during the puja and enjoyed by all who attend. In a home kitchen, all you need is wheat flour, chashni jaggery, and ghee to make this delicious delicacy. There may be some regional differences in the specifics, but generally speaking, you just need to make dough and fry it till it's golden brown. One common component that works well with holiday festivities is jaggery. Thekua, a delicious dessert that celebrates the Chhath Puja tradition, is made using basic ingredients that most people have on hand.
Parwal Mithai
One unique regional treat that you should try is parwal ki mithai, a sweet that comes from Bihar. This sweet recipe turns the pointed bottle gourd, or parwal, into a one-of-a-kind treat, even though it is typically prepared in savoury dishes in North India. Filling little parwal pieces with mawa and almonds creates a textural contrast. The festive sweet parwal ki mithai is a mainstay in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, while it is not common throughout India. Even though it's easy to make, the filling tastes delicious when it soaks into the parwal pieces. This dessert uses an unusual base, which is different from the usual, and it's also healthy and low in calories.