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Jharkhand Special Sweet: In Jharkhand, a sweet called Arsa is made on special occasions. It is made from rice flour and jaggery. Crisp from outside and soft from inside, this sweet is evergreen in comparison to which today’s fancy sweets pale in comparison.
Sweets have their own color in the kitchen of Jharkhand. Many types of dishes are cooked from Diwali to Chhath. Among the traditional dishes, Arsa is one such dish which is definitely prepared on the occasion of every festival, wedding or puja. People eat it with great enthusiasm.
Arsa is made with slight variations in many areas of Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa. It is especially cooked during Diwali, Chhath or harvest time. It is slightly crisp from outside and soft from inside.
While sharing the recipe, tribal woman Raveena Kachhap says that not many things are required to make Arsa. Just rice, jaggery and oil or ghee is required. To make it, firstly the rice is washed and dried in the traditional way and then it is ground finely and rice flour is prepared. Whereas jaggery is made like syrup by melting it in water.
He further told that when the jaggery syrup cools down, then rice flour is slowly mixed in it. By kneading it well with hands, a hard but flexible dough is made. This dough later takes the shape of Arsa.
This kneaded dough is made into small balls and then made round and flat with light hands. Traditionally, a little sesame or poppy seeds are also sprinkled on it, which further enhances its taste.
Then oil or ghee is heated in a pan and then the rice is fried slowly on medium flame. It is also important to note that it should not be fried on high flame, otherwise it will burn from outside and remain raw from inside. Arsa is ready when its color turns golden brown.
Fried Arsa is crispy from outside and soft from inside. Its taste is a combination of sweetness of jaggery and aroma of rice. It is served after cooling and it does not spoil for several days, hence it is also kept for traveling or giving to relatives.
