Trying Litti Chokha for the first time has an interesting backstory for me. It was my 30th birthday and I was coming home after running errands. My hands were loaded with grocery and I had to quickly get dressed for a dinner date with my husband. Little did I know that the plan would be smothered by rain.
But when one door closes another one opens, and rightly so. I ordered Litti Chokha for the first time and it was heavenly! This was the day I got introduced to this rusty ‘Bihari delight’ and I knew I had a newfound love.
Since moving to Chhattisgarh, Litti Chokha has been my favorite endorphin-kicking dish. It is a hearty meal with healthy ingredients, and no wonder it is a staple for inhabitants of Bihar. For people like me with faster metabolism, this can also be a great snacking option.
The tales of Sattu, a predominant Bihari ingredient
When I was younger, I heard my parents share the stories of ‘tonga ricksha (hand-pulled rickshaws from West Bengal) who would drink ‘sattu sharbat’ in the morning to get them going throughout the day.
Sattu or roasted chickpea flour has become synonymous with Bihari dishes. It won’t be inaccurate to say that Sattu forms an integral part of Bihari identity and gastronomy. Not restricted by boundaries, it has also become a popular superfood in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Sattu has gained ample limelight from the celebrity world, too. Much to my surprise, it made it to Shilpa Shetty’s cooking channel, where she used salt, lemon, and spices to prepare a refreshing and calming drink. It made me wonder why Sattu did not become as viral as Dalgona Coffee during the lockdown era.
As I grew up and started realizing the health benefits of sattu, it became my life savior on the days when I had to rush down to my work. It is consumed as sharbat (juice), chila (pancake), paratha, and of course Litti Chokha!
These Bihari recipes made of sattu are nutritious being rich in fiber and protein. Being a health enthusiast, nothing can be a better than savoring tasty dishes that are also healthy. Sattu is a little more special because it is inexpensive, making it an accessible product for masses.
Bihari food isn’t all about sattu though. Some staples you’d like to try if you come here would include ghugni, khaja, mutton kebabs, dal pitha, and kadhi badi.
Of late, I have gotten so fascinated with the baked sattu balls (littis) paired with baingan chokha recipes, that I couldn’t stop myself from sharing the details with you.
What is Litti Chokha?
Litti Chokha is a Bihari cuisine, made of two components ‘Litti’ and ‘Chokha’ which amalgamate as entwined twins. Littis are whole wheat dough balls stuffed with a spicy mix of sattu. These dough balls are traditionally roasted on hot charcoal.
Nowadays, littis are baked in the oven or fried in a pan. The properly cooked littis are a little charred in appearance.
Chokha is prepared in various combinations. One combination could be roasting brinjal and tomato separately, peeling off their skin, and mashing them together to form a ‘bharta.’
Next add boiled potatoes after peeling them. This is more of a Bihari combination as Bengalis don’t add potatoes to brinjal bharta. The chokha is incomplete without an aromatic spoon of mustard oil added to it in raw form.
This lip-smacking combination of litti and chokha is not just a dish but an emotion of the Bihari people evident from history. So, let’s see what proof it carries from the past.
How Litti Chokha Carries Emotions Alongside Culture?
As I was getting more interested in the finesse of the cuisine, I was astonished by its opulent prevalence in the period of Chandragupta Maurya. He was an emperor of Magadha kingdom at around 322 BC.
The remarkable presence of litti chokha swirled further to the Mughal Empire, where chokha was replaced by shorba and paya. Litti was never a food option associated with the poor during the ancient period. Instead, it was a symbol of honor, prestige, and pride.
The emotions behind this scrumptious platter changed during the sepoy mutiny of 1857. Leaders like Rani Lakshmibai and Tantiya Tope used to carry sattu and made littis out of it even in jungles. Those pocket-sized little cakes were easily carried without worrying about spoilage.
The plantation workers during the colonial period experienced a cross-cultural environment where regional meals were exchanged and adopted at a vast plethora. This was when litti chokha acquired its ‘life-saving’ credibility.
Lately, the migrant workers from Bihar, earlier a part of Magadha, have carried the traditional recipes of this cuisine to different places across the globe. This has imparted variations in its recipes and tastes. But, two things lie in common with all recipes. One is the easy-to-cook factor and another is the nutrient-rich value.
While researching its history and different identities getting tagged with litti chokha with time, I cannot digest the name ‘protein for poor’ associated with it. The dish is sacrosanct to Bihari culture and we should be empathetic enough to understand this.
This substantial meal carries the earthy smell of village culture, embedded with mixed emotions of pain, sorrow, happiness, and simplicity. It is not just a nourishment, but a doorway to the memory lanes of oppressive colonial culture. All these culminate into a deep sense of purity and foster a strong connection to the roots.
Litti is connected with nostalgia and emotional attachments. It makes a tipsy revival among the Bihari communities of childhood memories. The way littis are baked with affection and fun on winter nights, sitting outside with all families is nostalgia in itself.
If allowed to get cliche, I would call the dish a permanent resident to my heart and mind. It brings magical rhythms to my taste buds. It has crossed cultural barriers to reach us with so much historical evidence. And, yes it certainly brings emotions alongside culture!
My emotions are getting the best of me as I write this, so let me delve further into the correct way of eating, health benefits, ingredients, and recipes of Litti Chokha.
How To Eat Litti Chokha?
The first time I had litti, I had little to no idea how to relish it correctly. Subsequently, I discovered the actual way of eating it. What I was missing was its ghee-dripping glory and a squeeze of lemon to my chokha right before having it.
The best way I could learn in my second attempt was to break the littis into two halves. Take one half of a litti and add a spoonful of chokha to it. Dip it in melted ghee. And, trust me! I am not exaggerating. It will taste supremely delicious.
And just as a chunk of it comes, the aroma and the taste of the molten ghee mingle with your saliva. Ah! You will be held high for a while. This dollop of ghee shifts you to cloud 9.
On top, the crunchy crust of littis gets you a sharp bite, and inside, the tangy and salty ‘achari’ flavor of chokha shoots up your taste buds to the next level.
While stating the indispensable role of ghee, I urge you to keep mango pickles, onions, and green chilies by side. You can relish it until your stomach says “I am done.”
Health Benefits of Litti Chokha
As I mentioned already, this complete palate is packed with nutritious values. The goodness of sattu oozes out with every bite of it. It is a rich source of protein and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron
Sattu or roasted chickpea flour, used as a key ingredient, is low on glycaemic index, making it a desirable dish for people with diabetes. Even Litti Chokha is easy to digest because of its baked nature. If you want, then you can fry it as well.
The cooling effect of sattu makes it a great choice for metabolism. Baingan bharta as a side accompaniment adds phytonutrients and antioxidants. They are great for protecting the body from free radicals. Litti and chokha are low in calories and high in fiber, so this combination is a great choice for a weight management diet.
How To Prepare Litti Chokha at Home?
Litti chokha is a simple dish with a not-so-long list of ingredients. But you may get a little overwhelmed as multiple steps are involved in the preparation. Though littis alone are easy to prepare, making a combo with chokha needs time and patience.
Ingredients for Litti
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Wheat Flour | 450 grams |
| Ghee (for kneading) | 40 grams |
| Salt | As per taste |
| Ajwain | ½ teaspoon |
| Baking Soda (optional) | ½ teaspoon |
Ingredients to stuff
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Sattu (roasted chickpea flour) | 125 grams |
| Salt | As per taste |
| Grated Ginger | 1 tablespoon |
| Carom Seeds (Ajwain) | ½ teaspoon |
| Pickle Masala | 1 tablespoon |
| Chopped Coriander | 2-3 tablespoon |
| Finely Chopped Chillies | 2 in number |
| Mustard Oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Lemon juice | 1-2 teaspoon |
| Water | 2-3 tablespoon |
Ingredients for Chokha
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Brinjal | 300 grams |
| Tomatoes | 300 grams |
| Boiled Potatoes | 300 grams |
| Salt | As per taste |
| Chopped Green Chillies | 2 in number |
| Coriander | 3-4 tablespoon |
| Lemon Juice | 1-2 tablespoon |
| Mustard Oil | 2 tablespoon |
Litti Recipe
You can bake the littis in the oven, roast them on tawa, grill them, or deep fry in oil. This post mentions roasting on tawa or kadhai:
- Prepare the sattu stuffing first
- Knead the wheat flour well, cover it, and leave it aside for 15-20 minutes
- Prepare small small lumps of the dough
- You can size littis as per your desire
- Press the small lumps on your palm and give it a flat disc shape
- Now press with your thumb and fingers to give it a bowl shape
- Put 1-2 tablespoons of stuffing
- Pleat and join the edges to close the stuffing
- Give it a round shape
- For roasting at home, you can take a kadhai or thick base tawa
- Grease the kadhai with a little ghee
- Place the littis and cover for 3-4 minutes on low flame
- Flip the littis and again cover for 2-3 minutes
- Roast until golden brown from all sides
- Additionally, you can hold the littis on fire with a pair of tongs to get the charred marks
- Serve the littis with either baingan or aalu chokha (bharta) by taking a bowl of ghee on the side
Baingan Bharta Recipe
- Roast a big round brinjal by placing it on a stovetop
- Before roasting you can spread oil to the outer layer making it easy to peel off the skin
- Roast tomatoes in the same manner
- Peel off the brinjal and tomatoes.
- Next take boiled potatoes and peel them off slowly.
- Mash the brinjal, tomatoes, and potatoes
- Add salt as per your requirements
- Add green chilies, ginger, coriander, and lemon juice to the mashed vegetables
- Lastly, add mustard oil and give it a good mix
- Your chokha is now ready to serve with littis
- You can take pickles and onions alongside as taste enhancers
- There are other baingan bharta recipes where you can skip potatoes. It also tastes delicious
The scrumptious takeaway!
Whenever I crave something as fulfilling as rice and roti, I either order litti chokha from authentic Bihari food joints in Chhattisgarh or run down to a few of my selected places. And three pieces of litti bread are enough to sleep on my full belly.
Litti chokha is one of those dishes that carries an age-old history and an emotional overload. I am sure you’ll be able to connect with the sentiments associated with this cuisine.
So, next time if you want to eat something different yet wholesome, go for this Bihari delicacy and make new memories with it. I guarantee this will make a place in your heart!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is litti chokha made of?
Litti comprises of whole wheat and roasted chickpea flour (sattu). Chokhas are either made of brinjal, tomato, and potato. Regional variations often come into consideration when choosing the main ingredient.
2. Is litti chokha a Rajasthani dish?
No, it is a Bihari dish. A Rajasthani dish, called ‘dal bati churma’ looks like litti in appearance. But both are way different in their ingredients.
3. Where to find Litti Chokha?
You can find online litti chokha restaurants or any food joint serving Bihari dishes. It is prevalent in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Delhi, and UP.
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