Loading...
A delightfully crispy and sweet deep-fried cookie from Bihar, made with rice flour and scented with fennel and cardamom. This traditional festive snack is perfect with a cup of tea.
For 6 servings
Prepare the Flour Mixture
Knead the Stiff Dough
Shape the Bhuswa
A comforting yogurt and chickpea flour curry from Bihar, filled with soft, spongy gram flour dumplings. This tangy and mildly spicy dish is a regional staple, best enjoyed with steamed rice.
A nutty, pungent, and spicy dry chutney from Bihar, made with roasted flaxseeds, garlic, and chilies. It’s a powerhouse of flavor and nutrients, perfect to sprinkle over dal-rice or enjoy with roti.
A rustic and wholesome flatbread from Bihar, stuffed with a savory mixture of roasted chickpea flour (sattu) and aromatic spices. It's a nutritious and filling meal, perfect with baingan chokha or a simple yogurt.
A traditional Bihari stuffed flatbread filled with a savory mixture of roasted gram flour (sattu), spices, and tangy pickle masala. This wholesome and flavorful bread is perfect for a hearty breakfast or lunch.
A delightfully crispy and sweet deep-fried cookie from Bihar, made with rice flour and scented with fennel and cardamom. This traditional festive snack is perfect with a cup of tea.
This bihari recipe takes 45 minutes to prepare and yields 6 servings. At 477.71 calories per serving with 5.11g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for dessert or snack.
Deep Fry to Perfection
Cool and Store
For a more traditional and earthy flavor, replace the powdered sugar with an equal amount of finely powdered jaggery. You may need slightly less milk as jaggery contains more moisture.
For a slightly different texture, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of fine semolina (suji/rava) or all-purpose flour (maida) to the rice flour.
Add a pinch of nutmeg powder or a tablespoon of white poppy seeds (khus khus) to the dough for an additional layer of flavor and texture.
Made from rice flour and sugar, Bhuswa provides a rapid source of carbohydrates, which the body converts into energy. This makes it a traditional choice for an energy boost during festivals and celebrations.
The recipe includes fennel seeds (saunf) and cardamom (elaichi), which are not just for flavor. In traditional Ayurvedic practices, these spices are known to aid digestion, help reduce bloating, and act as natural mouth fresheners.
One serving of Bihari Bhuswa, which is approximately 4 pieces, contains around 400-450 calories. The calories come mainly from carbohydrates (rice flour, sugar) and fats (ghee, deep-frying oil).
Bihari Bhuswa is a traditional festive delicacy and is best enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat. It is high in calories, sugar, and fat due to its ingredients and deep-frying preparation method, so it is not considered a health food.
This is a common issue and usually happens if the dough is too soft (too much milk was added) or if the ratio of ghee to flour ('moyan') was too high. The dough must be very stiff. Also, ensure you slide them into the oil gently and avoid turning them until they have formed a light crust.
While you can try baking them, it is not the traditional method and will yield a very different result. The authentic crispy and crumbly texture of Bhuswa is achieved through deep-frying. Baking will produce a harder, drier cookie-like texture.
When cooled completely and stored in a clean, airtight container, Bihari Bhuswa has a long shelf life. They can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, making them an excellent make-ahead snack for festivals.