Anga & Seemanchal · Middle & Lower Gangetic Plain

Dishes

Rice and fish at the centre, with the western half eating litti, sattu and chura, and the eastern half eating what Bengal eats with a Bihari accent. The region's finest single ingredient is Katarni — an aromatic short rice grown around Bhagalpur, best known as chura eaten with curd and jaggery.

Katarni chura with dahi and gurVegetarianBreakfast and Sankranti

Flattened rice from the aromatic Katarni landrace, eaten with thick curd and jaggery. It holds a geographical indication, and locally it is the standard by which all other chura is dismissed.

Machh-bhaat with mustardNon-vegetarianMain

River and pond fish in a thin turmeric-and-mustard gravy, moving towards a ground-mustard paste as you go east. Rohu, katla, boal and, when the season allows, hilsa.

Makhana kheer and roasted makhanaVegetarianSweet and snack

Popped foxnut in reduced milk, or dry-roasted with salt — the region's most exported food.

Litti-chokhaVegetarianMain

Present, and eaten, but visibly less central than in Magadh and Bhojpur — the western half of the region's claim on the eastern plain's staple.

Ghugni and churaVegetarianBreakfast

Black gram or peas with ginger over flattened rice — the standard morning meal on the Bihar side.

Shutki and fermented fish preparationsNon-vegetarianAccompaniment

Dried or fermented fish pounded with chilli, garlic and mustard oil, used sparingly as a seasoning in the Surjapuri and Bengali-speaking districts.

Chhena sweets — rasgulla, sandesh, chhena murkiVegetarianSweet

The Bengal sweet repertoire, made across the eastern districts and increasingly at Bhagalpur — the western limit of split-milk confectionery in India.

Zardalu mangoVegetarianFruit

A small, intensely aromatic Bhagalpur mango with a geographical indication, in season from late May, and historically sent as a state gift.

Maize roti and makai ka satuVegetarianEveryday

Maize is the Seemanchal staple crop, eaten as coarse roti and as roasted flour, in a belt that grows more of it than anywhere else in Bihar.

Tilkut and til-gurVegetarianSweet

Pounded sesame and jaggery, made from November and eaten heavily at Makar Sankranti.

Handi mutton and Champaran-style meatNon-vegetarianMain

Mutton sealed in an earthen pot with mustard oil and whole spice, now standard across the region's meat kitchens.

Pittha and dal-puriVegetarianFestival

Steamed stuffed rice-flour dumplings, and lentil-stuffed fried bread, made at Chhath and at weddings.

Staples

Sweets

Street food

Drinks

The food of Anga & Seemanchal — signature dishes, staples, sweets, street food and where to eat them. (12)