Anarsa or Hilsa is an Indian rice-based biscuit. It is commonly associated with the Hindu festival of Diwali in Maharashtra and Bihar, along with other special occasions.[1][2][3] Its ingredients include jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), rice, poppy seed and ghee (clarified butter).
Course | Dessert |
---|---|
Place of origin | India |
Region or state | Maharashtra, Bihar |
Main ingredients | Jaggery, rice, poppy seed, ghee |
Anarsas are made from soaked powdered rice, jaggery or sugar. To prepare anarsa, rice is soaked and the water is changed regularly for a few days. Then, the rice is drained, ground, and mixed with jaggery to create a dough. The dough is covered and left to mature for 4-5 days. The dough is then rolled in white poppy seeds, pressed into rounds, and fried until golden.[2] The disks are fried poppy-coated side first.[4]
In a variation from the standard recipe, a banana is added to the rice-flour base.[5] The Bihari variation of anarsa tends to be rounder and ball-shaped as opposed to the flatter one in Maharashtra.[6]