FAST FOODS OF BIHAR

I was on my usual rushing around grind in Patna, and suddenly, the topic for today was staring at me in the face. What are indigenous fast foods?

Before the 'Chilli Chicken' invasion and 'yugg-roll', we did have our own quick recipies, dished out by our not-so hygenic but popular vendors.

Summer's on and watermelon salads are the rage. weighed, diced and sprinkled with savoury spices and rock salt, just the thing to beat the heat.

The Poochka or pani-poorie is the perennial favourite. Mouth-watering 'literally'. A globe of brittle dough with spiced potato stuffing filled with tamarind water that stretches your mouth and explodes on your tongue! It's an experience that can't be described in words.

The comes the Bihar staple, the ever present, unromantic yet highly popular 'litthi'. it's a ball of dough filled with roasted gram flour. Available almost everywhere. Like on this busy intersection.Even this small boy can handle a portable oven and hot litthis that sell like hot cakes even in the sweltering heat of a May aftrenoon.