Bihari cuisine is predominantly vegetarian. However, unlike Gujarat or some communities of south, non – vegetarian food is also quite acceptable even in traditional homes of Bihar. Some sects of Brahmins like the Maithil Brahmins have traditionally eaten some varieties of fish. Mutton or Goat meat is even used as Prasad in some type of pujas, like devi puja. Oddly, many Kayastha families in Bihar, who are generally considered great lovers of non – vegetarian food, are vegetarian in Bihar. Traditional Bihar society did not quite eat eggs and chicken, though other types of birds and fowls were highly acceptable. However, such distinctions are no longer current.

Sweet delicacies

There is large variety of sweet delicacies. Unlike Oriya and Bengali sweets, which are soaked in syrups made of sugar and are therefore wet, sweets of Bihar are mostly dry. Some of them are Laktho, Khurma, Balushahi, Anarasa, Khaja, Motichoor ka Ladoo, Kala Jamun, Kesaria Peda, Parwal ka Mithai, Khubi ka Lai, Belgrami, Tilkut, ThekuaPadokkia and Chena Murki. Some of them owe their origin to towns in the vicinity of Patna: Khaja from Silao Nalanda, Ladoo from Maner, Kala Jamun from Vikram, Khubi ka Lai from Barh, Tilkut and Kesaria Peda from Gaya , balushahi from Harnaut , Chena Murki from Koelwar and Padokkia from Thawe.Gopalganj. Descendants of the original family members of the cooks, called halwais in the local language, have migrated to urban Patna and authentic sweet delicacies are now available in the city itself. Khaja, which originated in Deo Aurangabad, is a deep – fried flaky pastry soaked in sugar syrup to give a dry and crisp texture. Podokkia, is alike samosa but it prepaid from khooaa fried milk and with ras.Its sweet in taste and it is frequentlly eaten hot.