Litti chokha

Litti chokha is a dish close to many a heart. This is a must have in Bihar. Just like Dal Bafla( M.P) and Dal Bati  in Rajasthan. Some people also call it bati chokha. While we serve the former two with lentils, this one comes with vegetable mash. You could actually call all of them as cousins. All of them are made with wheat flour over coal. However, you can bake them at home on an oven grill. Only, the curry differs. Another prominent feature is mustard oil. The mode of cooking changes from ghee to mustard oil as you reach Bihar and Bengal from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Thus, changing from dairy to vegan.

Litti chokha is famous food of which state ?

This dish brings back memories of rural India. 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.

I have enjoyed having this recipe in both Patna and Benaras. Clear vivid memories flood my vision when I write about it. Small rooftop dhaba near Patna station. No fancy décor but best food 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!

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.Make a drink by mixing in water. Just add salt & lemon and beat the heat. Use it as a stuffing in parantha or litti.  Make a ladoo or a burfi if you love sweets.

You can also make this at home by grinding the roasted chana at home(do not remove the skin).

Step-by-Step picture: how to make Bihari litti chokha recipe in oven

Steps for litti

1. Mix the dry ingredients with oil and water. Knead a semi-tight dough for litti.

4. Close and shape it into a ball.

5. Place the litti in a hot oven in a baking tray

6. Cook until they crack open and turn light brown.

7. Further, grill them on gas to get the charred effect and flavor.

8. Brush them with ghee or oil if vegan, before serving.

Steps for chokha

1. Grill the eggplant or brinjal and other vegetables.

2. Peel all the vegetables(eggplants, onion, potato, tomato)

3. Mash all the vegetables for the chokha. Mix with salt, oil and lemon juice.

4. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add ginger, garlic, chilly & cumin seeds.

5. Add the mixed vegetables to the tempering. Mix well

Serve it hot along with some sliced onions, lemons and chilly.

Garnish the mash with chopped coriander for freshness.

Read the litti chokha recipe below:

Print Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

Litti chokha

Litti chokha is the signature dish of Bihar.It is also very popular in Benaras.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snacks

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: bihari, litti, litti chokha, sattu

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For Litti

• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• a pinch of baking soda
• ½ tsp ajwain caraway seeds
• 2 tbsp oil.
• water for kneading

For Litti stuffing

• 1 cup Sattu
• 1 tbsp Pickle masala from any spicy pickle
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp 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 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• t green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Instructions

For 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.
• 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

For chokha

• The potato can be either boiled or wrapped in an aluminum foil and cooked in oven
• Grill the aubergines/eggplant/brinjal and other vegetables in an oven at 180 C(fan forced) or 200C or on the gas for 20-25 minutes or until cooked.
• 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

For the sweet potato/potato, you may either boil them or cover them in an aluminum foil and bake them in oven until you can pierce with a toothpick.

Do try interesting recipes from the region

• Sattu barfi 
• Sattu ladoo
• baingan aloo
• Bhugal mawa/Milk cake

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