Bhakka of BiharImage Credit source: cook_with_manjila-insta
Litti-Chokha..Aloo-Bhujia, Dal-Bhat, Sattu sherbet and spicy Sattu laddu… As soon as the names of all these dishes come to mind, Bihar starts wandering in the mind, but have you ever eaten ‘Bhakka’? This dish, which looks similar to Idli, is made from rice flour only, but both the method of making it and the taste are completely different. While Idli is served with Sambar and coconut chutney, Bhakka is sweet in taste. People either eat it directly or have it for breakfast. Apart from this, hot ‘Bhakka’ is eaten with ghee or fish. Especially you will get to taste it in Araria of Bihar. Where people also sell it for livelihood, hence you will find it being sold on the roadside, which you can also enjoy.
‘Bhakka’ is a dish which is especially eaten during October, November, December and the entire winter season. If you go out on the road in Araria in the cold fog, you will find ‘Bhakka’ being sold. The absolutely soft ‘Bhakka’ is somewhat similar to the pitha of Bengal. So let us know the specialty of this traditional dish and what is its recipe.
Why is Bhakka dish special?
‘Bhakka’ is a very old recipe, which is made in Bihar especially by the people of Kaliha community. It is made to be eaten for breakfast, but gradually it became popular, after which people enjoy it along with fish. It is also special because after harvesting the paddy in winter, it is prepared from fresh rice by grinding it on stone by hand and its flour is prepared in an earthen pot. This is a dish of Seemanchal areas of Bihar. Now let us know its recipe.
Ingredients to make ‘Bhakka’?
Arwa rice is used to make sweet idli or ‘bhakka’ of Bihar. You can also take normal rice. Apart from this, you will need a vessel for making ‘Bhakka’. This is an earthen pot-matka (it is bowl shaped from the top). The bowl placed above it has a hole in the middle. Be a little deeper. Apart from this, you will only need jaggery, that is, this recipe can be prepared with just two ingredients: rice and jaggery. If you make it on an earthen stove, it will taste even better. For this you will also need a clean cotton cloth. Now let us know the method of making it.
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How to make ‘Bhakka’
First of all, the rice is soaked in water overnight and then the next morning, separate the water and filter the rice. Now dry the rice a little, but the moisture should not come out completely. After this, grind the rice so that it becomes flour. After this, you can take a medium sized bowl or a small or big bowl as per your choice. Fill the dough in it and leave a little space. Now spread small pieces of jaggery on it and add some more rice flour on top and fill the bowl completely.
Place a ‘bhakka’ vessel or any deep vessel on the stove or gas and fill it with water and place a net on top of it. Now wrap a cotton cloth on the mouth of the bowl filled with flour and turn it over and keep it in an earthen pot. Remove the bowl and cook the prepared ‘bhakka’ by covering it with the same cotton cloth. It is completely ready in less than two minutes. Now you can enjoy it with ghee. People also prepare it without jaggery to eat with fish curry. Just as there is diversity in the lifestyle and dialect of our country, in the same way there is tremendous diversity in the taste of food too.