Taste of Bihar: How to Make Chana Ghugni and Dal Pitha at Home

Discover Bihar’s Flavors: Chana Ghugni and Dal Pitha Recipes

Taste of Bihar: How to Make Chana Ghugni and Dal Pitha at Home: Bihar’s culture is known for its unique identity, both in India and abroad. The cuisine of Bihar is simple yet full of taste. While sweets like Thekua are synonymous with Chhath Puja, dishes like Litti Chokha and Sattu are unmatched. But there are other traditional Bihari dishes that are equally delicious—Chana Ghugni and Dal Pitha. Here’s how you can make them at home.

1. Chana Ghugni Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 cup white chickpeas
• 1 potato
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1–2 finely chopped green chilies
• Oil
• Turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt
• Lemon juice
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped onions, bhujia or sev

Method:

1. Soak white chickpeas overnight.
2. Boil chickpeas with salt and water in a pressure cooker until cooked. Reserve some water for gravy.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and fry.
4. Add onions and cook until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, fry briefly.
5. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
6. Add turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt; fry 1–2 minutes.
7. Mix in boiled chickpeas and reserved water, simmer on low heat for 7–10 minutes.
8. Optional: Add potatoes for extra flavor.
9. Finish with garam masala, lemon juice, coriander leaves, chopped onions, and sev/bhujia.
10. Serve with puris, parathas, or rotis.

2. Dal Pitha Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 cups rice flour
• 2 cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 cup chana dal (Bengal gram lentils)
• Ginger, garlic, finely chopped green chilies
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak chana dal for 2–3 hours and grind coarsely into a paste.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin and carom seeds. When they crackle, add the dal paste with ginger, garlic, green chilies, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Fry on low heat for 6–8 minutes and let it cool.
3. Boil water with salt and oil. Add rice flour, mix, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes. Let it cool slightly.
4. Knead into a soft dough. Take small balls of dough, flatten into round or gujiya shapes, place 1–2 tsp of lentil paste inside, and seal edges tightly.
5. Boil water in a pan, cook the pithas for 10–12 minutes. Alternatively, steam them.
6. Serve hot with desi ghee, pickle, or green chutney.

Both Chana Ghugni and Dal Pitha are flavorful, traditional Bihari dishes that are easy to make at home and perfect for family meals.

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