The Indian state of Rajasthan is not just the land of palaces and forts. It is the land that gave the world bhujia! This crispy namkeen (savory) snack was first produced in Bikaner, during the reign of Maharaja Shri Dungar Singh in 1877. Ever since then, India has been munching on it non-stop.
Bhujia
Bhujia is not only a snack in itself but is also a great add on to other dishes and meals. Sprinkle it on bread, over poha, or chaat, or just eat it while sipping on a cup of tea. Made with moth, chickpea, gram flour, and spices, the dough is sieved through a fine mesh into piping hot oil. Given its huge fan base, Bhujia is produced at a mass-scale even by multinational companies. However, the authentic Bikaneri Bhujia, bought from one of the countless Bhujia selling local shops, will always have its own charm. In fact, Indian poet Ashok Vajpei had once described Bikaner as the city where “one half of the population is occupied with making bhujia and the other half eating it.” To safeguard their legacy, in 2010, Bikaneri Bhujia was given Geographical Indication (GI) rights by the Indian Patent Office, implying that only local manufacturers could sell under the name ‘Bikaneri Bhujia’.
Aloo Bhujia
The most popular variety of Bhujia is Aloo Bhujia. Aloo Bhujia is made with boiled potatoes, gram flour, and spices. The taste may vary to some extent depending on the brand.
Best Bhujia Brands
Many companies sell packaged bhujia. Here are 5 of the Best Bhujia Brands. All of them also sell Aloo Bhujia.
1. Haldiram Bhujia
The world of Bhujia was transformed by a young Bikaner man by the name of Ganga Bishan Agarwal, fondly known as Haldiram, in the year 1937. He not only introduced his aunt’s bhujia recipe to be sold at their family shop, but also took it upon himself to improve its taste and texture. He started adding moth flour to the dough and used a finer mesh to create a more crunchy, delectable snack. His efforts resulted in the creation of one of the most iconic Bhujia-selling brands, Haldiram’s. The company was, however, split into three brands - Haldiram’s, Haldiram’s Nagpur, and Prabhuji: House of Haldiram’s; each led by his many grandchildren.
Haldiram Bhujia is made with tepary beans flour, edible vegetable oil, gram pulse flour, common salt, and a mix of Indian spices and condiments (red chilli powder, black pepper powder, ginger powder, clove powder, mace powder, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder) that brings out the spicy tang. It is just the right amount of crisp! However, it might be too spicy for some. Haldiram Bhujia has a shelf life of 5 months.
2. Haldiram Nagpur Bhujia
Carrying the same legacy forward, is Haldiram Nagpur. The Bhujia is sold under the product name ‘Bhujia Sev’ and is a great choice for people who do not have a very high spice tolerance. It is made using tepary beans flour, Bengal gram flour, refined cotton seed oil, iodised salt, with a blend of red chilli powder, clove powder, black pepper, dried ginger powder, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bay leaves. It has a shelf life of 6 months. Haldiram Nagpur Bhujia Sev is a very addictive purchase.
3. Bikaji Bhujia
Coming from the same lineage as Ganga Bishan Agarwal was Shiv Ratan Agarwal, who decided to start his own company ‘Bikaji’ in the late 1980s. Now 40% of the Indian snack market is dominated by Haldiram and Bikaji! The Bikaji Bikaneri Bhujia is made with moth (dew bean) flour, gram flour, and edible vegetable oil, mixed with the following ground spices and condiments - iodised salt, red chilli, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, clove, and nutmeg. It has a shelf life of 6 months. Many love the Bikaji taste - it is crunchy, tasty, with a mild zest.
4. Bikano (Bikanerwala) Bhujia
Another popular Bhujia brand in the market is Bikano. Run by Bikanerwala Foods Pvt. Ltd., Bikano also offers the traditional Bikaneri Bhujia experience. Bikano Bhujia is made with husked dew moth bean flour, edible vegetable oils, chickpea flour, iodized salt, and a combination of Indian spices including red chilli powder, black pepper powder, clove powder, dried ginger powder, long pepper powder, mace powder, fennel powder, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, and asafoetida. While most have praised this brand for its authentic tangy taste, some found it to be a little too salty. Its shelf life is close to 6 months.
5. Bhikharam Chandmal Bhujia
Bhikharam Chandmal has been making Bhujia for more than 125 years now. The company was founded by Tansukhdas Agarwal. Later, his son and grandson Bhikharam and Chandmal joined the family business and worked on improving the taste and quality of the product. The Bhikharam Chandmal Bikaneri Bhujia is made with tepary beans flour, edible vegetable oil, chickpeas flour, iodized salt, and a mixture of ground spices including chilli powder, black pepper powder, clove powder, ginger powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, mace powder, and nutmeg powder. The Bhujia has a shelf life of 6 months and is also gluten free. A crunch, tangy snack to munch on any time.
How To Store Bhujia At Home
To ensure the quality and taste of the Bhujia stays unaffected, it is important to store it correctly. The bhujia packet needs to be sealed properly. Once opened, store it in an air-tight container to prevent it from getting soggy. Do not store it with other snacks/food items, as the aromas can mix up. Also keep the container in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.