Litti chokha
Bihar's signature meal: wheat balls stuffed with sattu spiked with mustard oil, lemon, ajwain, kalonji, garlic and chilli, baked golden and dipped in ghee. With it, chokha: flame-roasted brinjal and tomato mashed with boiled potato, raw onion and mustard oil. In villages they are roasted over cow-dung cakes; in the city in an OTG or an appe pan.
- 1 h 15Time
- 1 h 01Hands-on
- 4Portions
- 26 gprotein per portion
- 920kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 3Potatoes
- 400 gAtta
- 1 tspAjwain
- 2 tbspGhee, for the dough
- ≈ 220 mlWater, for the dough
- to tasteSalt
- 200 gSattu (roasted gram flour)
- 1Onion, finely chopped, for the filling
- 4 clovesGarlic, finely chopped, for the filling
- 10 gGinger, grated
- 3Green chillies, finely chopped, for the filling
- 20 gCoriander leaves, chopped, for the filling
- 3 mlKalonji (nigella seeds)
- 1Lemon (nimbu), juice
- 2 tbspMustard oil, for the filling
- 400 gBrinjal, 1 large round one
- 2Tomatoes
- 4 clovesGarlic, peeled, for the chokha
- 2Green chillies, finely chopped, for the chokha
- 1Onion, small, finely chopped, for the chokha
- 1 tbspMustard oil, for the chokha
- 10 gCoriander leaves, chopped, for the chokha
- 4 tbspGhee, melted, for dipping
Method
- Put the potatoes in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover.
- Pressure-cook for 3 whistles and let the pressure drop by itself, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the dough: mix the atta with half the ajwain and a little salt, rub in the ghee for the dough and knead into a firm dough with the water. Cover.
- Mix the sattu with the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies and coriander for the filling, the rest of the ajwain, the kalonji, lemon juice, the mustard oil for the filling and salt. Sprinkle in 1–2 tablespoons of water so it holds together when pressed.
- Heat the oven to 200 °C. Divide the dough into 12 balls, flatten each into a cup, fill with a heaped tablespoon of filling, pinch closed and roll smooth.
- Bake the littis on a tray for 30–35 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes, until golden brown with small cracks.
- Make small slits in the brinjal and push in the garlic cloves for the chokha. Roast the brinjal and tomatoes directly over the gas flame, turning, until the skin is charred and they are soft inside.
- Make the chokha: peel the potatoes, brinjal and tomatoes and mash them coarsely with the roasted garlic and the green chillies, onion, mustard oil and coriander for the chokha, and salt.
- Break the hot littis open slightly and dip them in the melted ghee.
- Serve the littis with the chokha.
