Jharkhand

Jharkhand Cuisine

Jharkhand Cuisine is not much different from the cuisine of the neighboring Bihar. Much like Bihar, Litti-Chokha is the staple diet of the people of the state and eaten with much joy. While Litti is a baked or deep fried wheat cake filled with black gram powder, Chokha is mashed potato seasoned with green chilies, onion, tomato and ginger.

Most of the people of Jharkhand are vegetarians. Hence, several types of vegetarian items dominate the Jharkhand Cuisine.

Mustard oil is usually used to prepare the various non-vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. Panch-Phutana, a clever mix of five spices (cumin, mustard, fenel, fenugreek, and kalonji), is used to season the various vegetables.

On the whole, the food prepared in Jharkhand is usually light on the stomach and easy to digest. A touch of the Mughali cuisine is visible on the state cuisine.

Roti (bread), rice, dal (pulses) and tarkari (vegetables), bhujia (thinly sliced fried vegetables) constitute the main meal for most of the people in the state. A variety of pickles and chutneys are eaten along with the meals. On Saturdays, people prefer to eat Khichdi (rice cooked with pulses and seasoned with turmeric and chilly powder) with curd, a variety of pickles and chutneys (made from raw mangoes, lemon and tamarind), papad and chokha.

The people of Jharkhand also love savoring several types of lip-smacking sweets. No wonder, many varieties of sweet dishes (mostly dry) are prepared throughout the state. Khajoor (Thekua), Khaja, Anarsa, Mal Pua, Besan Halwa, Suji Halwa, Balu Shahi, Peda, Jalebi, Kheer,these are just some of the many famous sweet delicacies of Jharkhand that much tickle the taste buds of the gourmet.

People of Jharkhand are also quite fond of the many types of light snacks. Samosa or Singhara, Pakoda, Aloo-Chop, Gup-Chup, Chat-Pani-Puri…these are just a few of the many tasty snacks that make the Jharkhand Cuisine sumptuous and something to look for when on a visit to the state.