Litti Chokha | Litti Aloo-Tamatar Chokha Recipe

Litti Chokha, A delicacy from Bihar that needs no introduction at ALL to people from Bihar, U.P, or Jharkhand. But, I am sure many of you might not be aware of this delicacy yet. Litti is a wheat dough ball stuffed with spiced sattu mixture and then grilled or fried or baked. Chokha, is a kind of dip which is prepared using boiled potatoes or grilling brinjal/tomato until charred and then mashing them with spices.

Littis and Brinjals (for chokha) were traditionally roasted on live coal or cow dung cakes, however, it is not possible to do that here. Nevertheless, this recipe is very close to that.

What Is Sattu?

Sattu is prepared by roasting and then grinding Bengal gram. Few use other grains too to make this Sattu but the traditional recipe calls for Bengal gram. Traditionally or in villages, Bengal gram is roasted in sand using an iron vessel or an earthen pot. Once cooled, it is ground using the traditional hand grinder. Now you won’t get that privilege and hence what you can do is to use a pan for roasting the Bengal gram and use a grinder for grinding it to a fine powder. And it is ready to use. Isn’t it simple to make? and healthy too?? Well, Yes! 😀

Sattu has many uses and is also know as SUPER-FOOD. It is great for digestion and is high on nutrition. It is low on the glycemic index, making it safe, and in fact beneficial for diabetics.

How To Include Sattu In You Diet?

• During Summer, Dissolve 2tablespoon of sattu in a glass of water, add 1tbsp lime juice, required salt to it. Stir and drink. It will keep your body cool in the scorching summer heat
• During Winters, Make littis or stuffed sattu paratha and store for 2-3days and eat for breakfast or lunch or as an evening snack.

There are so many ways of eating sattu. Find it on google and enjoy eating.

Litti-Chokha is a traditional Bihari food which is popular and loved by every Bihari household. Litti-Chokha is prepared mainly during winters season as it keeps your body warm.  Although Litti looks very similar to Rajasthani baati but yet it’s very different in preparation and taste. Litti-Chokha is not just food, it’s an EMOTION! ❤ I can have litti at any time.

I have been grown up eating this food at least once a week during winters either with baingan ka chokha, aloo-tamatar ka chokha, or tamatar-dhaniya ki chutney. Litti taste even more delicious the other day with a cup of ginger tea. We also use to have this for our snack too. ❤ No matter how many other options we have, litti used to be our favorite traveling food, obviously, the first and main reason is the taste, second- they stay good for 2-3days easily and you don’t need anything else to accompany it, just a mango pickle would be enough.

Usually, littis are served with baingan ka chokha, aloo ka chokha or tamatar chutney but, then there are a handful of people like me who enjoy litti with spicy Khada Masala Chicken Curry. ❤ I am sharing my Khada Masala Chicken Curry in a clay pot soon. Stay tuned for that. 😉

Suggestions:

• Sattu, I have mentioned above how to prepare sattu at home. However, I do not have a written recipe for it yet. If you do not wish to prepare it at home then, buy it from any Indian store.
• Pickle Masala, I always use homemade mango pickle masala as it gives a tangy taste and enhances the flavor of the stuffing. However, you can use the store bought pickle masala. I do not recommend it though.
• Mustard Oil, DO NOT skip using mustard oil or do not replace it with any other cooking oil
• Carom Seeds, The addition of carom seeds help the food to digest and it gives a nice flavor to the stuffing.
• Optional Ingredients, If you are preparing this for travel purpose then skip the onion-garlic and it will stay good for 2-3days.

Other Bihari Cuisines You May Like- Kala Chana Ghuguni, Champaran Mutton Curry, Dum Aloo, Aloo-Parwal Ki Sabji, Sattu Paratha, Chura-Matar

There are several joints and restaurants in Delhi NCR that serves delicious Litti-Chokha and a few of them serves truly traditional style Litti-Chokha. Use google map and head to those places with your friends or family and enjoy the Bihari delicacy. or do a simple thing, try my recipe and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed at all. ❤

Serves 8 Littis 

Ingredients:

For Litti

For Litti Dough

• 2 Cups whole wheat flour
• 1 Tsp carom seeds
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tsp salt

For Litti Stuffing

• 1 ¼ Cup sattu
• ¼ Cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 ½ Tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 3-4 Green chilies, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tsp carom seeds
• 1 Tbsp mustard oil
• 1 Tbsp pickle masala
• Salt as required
• Melted ghee for brushing littis

**If you are preparing this for travel purpose then skip the onion-garlic and it will stay good for 2-3days.

For Aloo-Tamatar Chokha

• 4 Whole tomatoes, roasted in mustard oil in a pan until charred
• 2 Boiled potatoes
• 1 Small onion, finely chopped
• ½ Cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 Green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tsp mustard oil
• 1 Tsp lime juice
• Salt as required

Learn Step By Step Recipe With Pictures For Litti Chokha | Litti Aloo-Tamatar Chokha Recipe 

Recipe:

Step 1- Take whole wheat flour, carom seeds, salt, and ghee in a mixing bowl. Knead to a smooth dough and keep aside covered with a wet cloth

Step 2- In another bowl take all the stuffing ingredients and mix very well. Add 2tbsp of water and mix again. The mixture should be able to hold shape (neither too dry nor too wet)

Step 3- Divide the dough into equal size medium balls and roll one like a thick poori and put 1tbsp or as required of stuffing in the center. close the edges well and between your palms again shape them like a ball. Do this with all the dough balls

Step 4- Preheat oven to 400ºF to at least 10mins. Line an aluminum foil in the oven and bake the littis for 20mins then flip and again bake for 20mins from another side.

Turn the oven to broil, and broil the littis until you get that dark spots on them or roast them directly on the flame to get the dark spots.

Dip the littis in ghee and serve.

While the littis are in the oven, prepare the aloo-tamatar chokha with the following recipe.

For Aloo-Tamatar Chutney

Step 1- In a bowl, take the boiled potatoes and roasted tomatoes, Using a fork or potato masher, mash them to a coarse paste

Step 2- Add the chopped onion, coriander leaves, green chilies, required salt, and mustard oil. Mix well, chokha is ready

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