Bihari Anarsa with Kesar Rabri
A traditional celebratory sweet from Bihar made with fermented rice and jaggery dough, coated in sesame seeds, deep-fried to a delicate crisp, and served alongside rich saffron-infused thickened milk.
765min
Total Time
4
Servings
Bihari
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Wash and soak the raw rice in water for 3 days, changing the water daily to prevent spoiling.
2
On the third day, drain the rice completely and spread it on a clean cloth for about 30 minutes until moisture is absorbed but the rice remains slightly damp.
3
Grind the damp rice into a fine powder and sieve it.
4
In a heavy-bottomed pan, melt the powdered jaggery with 2 tablespoons of water to make a thick syrup of single-thread consistency.
5
Gradually mix the rice flour into the warm jaggery syrup along with ghee to form a smooth dough.
6
Cover the dough tightly and let it rest in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours for mild fermentation.
7
For the rabri, boil the full-fat milk in a wide pan on medium heat, reducing it by half while continuously scraping the sides.
8
Add sugar, saffron strands, and cardamom powder to the reduced milk, simmer for another 5 minutes, and set aside to cool.
9
Divide the rested anarsa dough into small lemon-sized balls, flatten them gently, and press one side generously into white sesame seeds.
10
Heat ghee in a deep kadhai on medium-low flame. Slide the anarsa discs sesame-side up and fry gently until golden and crisp, avoiding over-browning.
11
Serve the warm or room-temperature anarsa alongside chilled kesar rabri garnished with chopped nuts.
Ingredients
2 cups raw rice
1 cup powdered jaggery
2 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 litre full-fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
A few strands of saffron
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
Chopped pistachios and almonds for garnishing
Ghee or oil for deep frying
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.