What is litti chokha?
The most famous food in Bihar, liti choka is a dish close to many a heart. This is a must have in Bihar just like Dal Bafla(in M.P) and Dal Bati in Rajasthan. Some people also call it baati chokha or chokha bati. You could actually call all of them as cousins. All of the baati are made with wheat flour over coal. Nowadays, you can bake them at home on an oven grill. Only, the curry served differs. While we serve the dal bati and dal bafla with lentils, this Bihar street food comes with vegetable mash. Another prominent feature is mustard oil. The mode of cooking changes from ghee in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to mustard oil in Bihar food. Thus, changing from dairy to vegan.
Learn to make this easy recipe here.
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Litti chokha is famous food of which state ?
Liti choka brings back memories of rural India to me. It is very popular in Bihar and surrounding areas. It is full of protein. Rustic and filling. Good meal for daily wagers. Made with local veggies. Nothing fancy yet taste is delicious. Some people also eat dal chawal chokha as a simple meal.
I have enjoyed having this recipe in both Patna and Benaras. Clear vivid memories flood my vision when I write about it. I had the best litti chokha in patna in a small rooftop dhaba near Patna station. No fancy décor but best food dishes you can ever have. They make it on coal day in day out. Benaras was a pleasant surprise. Small street food stalls selling them fresh along with chola rice. Great price for college students. Cheap and a hearty meal!It is so delicious that my mouth is still watering.
Well, it may be a distant dream to visit now but the taste lingers on. I love making it whenever I want a special brunch. This Bihari food recipe is full of flavor. Now, when you cannot visit Bihar, you got to make your own at home.
What is sattu ?
In Bihar, UP from eastern parts of India, sattu is made by dry roasting Bengal gram and grinding it. You can make both sweets and savory from it. Versatile and rich in proteins.
how to consume sattu?
You can make a sattu sharbat, a drink made by mixing it in water. Just add salt & lemon and beat the heat. You can also make a parantha or sattu bati. Make a sattu ladoo or a sattu burfi if you love sweets. You can also make this at home by grinding the roasted chana at home(do not remove the skin).
Litti chokha Ingredients
For baked litti
- Whole meal flour
- Pinch of baking soda
- ajwain / caraway seeds
- oil.
- water for kneading
For Litti stuffing - sattu
- Pickle masala from any spicy pickle
- mustard oil
- lemon juice
- chopped ginger and chillies
- black salt/salt as per taste
For baingan chokha - tomatoes
- eggplant / brinjal
- potato/sweet potato boiled or cooked in oven(in a foil)
- onion
- salt as per taste
- mustard oil
- ginger garlic paste
- green chili finely chopped
- cumin seeds
Litti chokha recipe
Equipment
- frying pan
- oven with grill
- Stand mixer optional for kneading dough
Ingredients
For Litti
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- a pinch of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ajwain caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoon oil.
- water for kneading
For Litti stuffing
- 1 cup Sattu
- 1 tablespoon Pickle masala from any spicy pickle
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger and chillies
- Black salt/salt as per taste
For chokha
- 2-3 tomatoes
- 1-2 brinjal
- 1 large potato/sweet potato boiled or cooked in oven(in a foil)
- 1 large onion
- Salt as per taste
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- t green chillies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Instructions
How to prepare litti
- Mix the dry ingredients with oil and water,Knead a semi-tight dough for litti.
- Mix the stuffing ingredients,check for salt, add more if required.
- Roll the dough and place the stuffing in the center,Close and shape it into a ball.
Litti in oven
- Place the litti in a hot oven in a baking tray in pre-heated oven at 160 C(fan forced) or 180C
- Cook until they crack open and turn light brown (around 20 minutes)
- Further grill them on gas to get the charred effect and flavour,Brush them with ghee before serving
Litti in air fryer
- Place the litti in a pre heated air fryer (pre heated at 170C for 10 minutes)
- Cook for 18-20 minutes at 170C. Brush oil 2 times in a between.
- Further grill them on gas to get the charred effect and flavour,Brush them with ghee before serving
Prep chokha in Oven
- Grill the aubergines/eggplant/brinjal and other vegetables in an oven at 180 C(fan forced) or 200C
- Eggplant for 20 mins after brushing oilPotato grill for 30 mins Sweet potato 25 mins Peeled onions and tomato for 25 mins (covered in aluminum foil)
Prep Chokha in air fryer
- Grill the aubergines/eggplant/brinjal and other vegetables in an pre-heated air fryer using the grill option
- Eggplant for 15 mins after brushing oilPotato grill for 25 mins Sweet potato 20 mins Peeled onions and tomato for 20 mins (covered in aluminum foil)
How to prepare Chokha
- Peel all the vegetables(aubergine,onion,potato,tomato)
- Mash all the vegetables for the chokha. Mix with salt & oil,keep it aside
- Heat mustard oil in a pan, add ginger,garlic,chillies & cumin seeds.
- Add the mixed vegetables to the tempering,mix well
- garnish with coriander,serve with onion,lemon and green chutney
Notes
Equipment
- Frying pan
- OTG or oven with grill
- Stand mixer optional for kneading
Related links
How to make litti ?(prep)
- Mix the dry ingredients with oil and water. Knead a semi-tight dough for litti.
2. Mix the stuffing ingredients. Add more salt, if required.
3. Roll the dough and place the stuffing in the center.
4. Close and shape it into a ball.
How to make litti in oven ?
1. Place the litti in a hot oven in a baking tray
2. Cook until they crack open and turn light brown.
3. Further, grill them on gas to get the charred effect and flavor.
4. Brush them with ghee or oil if vegan, before serving.
How to make Litti in air fryer?
- Place the litti in a pre heated air fryer (pre heated at 170C for 10 minutes)
2. Cook for 18-20 minutes at 170C. Brush oil 2 times in a between.
3. Optionally grill them on a gas cooktop for the authentic charred flavour and look.
How to make chokha in oven? (prep)
- Grill the aubergines/eggplant/brinjal and other vegetables in an oven at 180 C(fan forced) or 200C or until cooked.
Eggplant for 20 mins after brushing oil
Potato grill for 30 mins
Sweet potato 25 mins
Peeled onions and tomato for 20 mins (covered in aluminum foil)
How to make chokha in air fryer ? (prep)
- Grill the aubergines/eggplant/brinjal and other vegetables in an pre-heated air fryer using the grill option
Eggplant for 20 mins after brushing oil
2. Potato grill for 30 mins
Sweet potato 25 mins
Peeled onions and tomato for 20 mins (covered in aluminum foil)
How to make chokha ?
1. Peel all the vegetables(eggplants, onion, potato, tomato)
2. Mash all the vegetables for the chokha. Mix with salt, oil and lemon juice.
3. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add ginger, garlic, chilly & cumin seeds.
4. Add the mixed vegetables to the tempering. Mix well.
5. Serve it hot along with some sliced onions, lemons and chilly. Garnish the mash with chopped coriander for freshness.
Variation
Bihari cuisine also has the non vegetarian version of lithi choka, litti chicken is quite popular. Sometimes mutton is cooked in raw spices too as a variation.Another popular food is chaap litti where mutton chaap is served.. Another variation is Bihari aloo chokha recipe which does not contain brinjals as some people may be allergic to it.
Storage
Store chokha in refrigerator for 2-3 days. Heat before serving. Litti can be stored in an air tight jar at room temperature.
FAQs
As UP shares a border with Bihar, yes it is quite famous, especially in Banaras.
Definitely, sattu which is a powerhouse of proteins which gives you energy and also cools the system internally. Bihar like most north India has very hot summers. Chokha is a vegetable mash mainly made of grilled eggplants
Khaja, ghughni, thekua, laung latika,kesar peda,chandrakala are other Bihar special food to eat apart from batti chokha.
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