Litti Chokha

This is the recipe that I wanted to write for a long time and I would like to thank Anand Singh and Shyamli Singh for this amazing recipe. This recipe originated in Bihar and is prepared in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand as well. What makes this dish fascinating is the way it is prepared and how different ingredients are incorporated to create a balanced blend. One can not find this dish in restaurants, there are a few who set it up as street food. Litti is just not served with chokha it's served with Mutton and chicken as well. This dish is traditionally prepared over Kande/Uple (cow dung cakes) but these days it's made in the oven or barbeque pit. I will be mentioning the ingredients for Litti and Chokha separately and make sure to use the ingredients in the correct proportions as mentioned below.

The Indian recipe we have listed below serves up to 2-4 people with a 15-20 min preparation time and a 30-40 minutes cooking time.

Ingredients

For Dough:-

1. Ghehu ka Aata/Whole Wheat Flour - 1.5 cup

2. Salt - as per taste

3. Water

For Stuffing:-

1. Sattu/Flour made from powered Bengal Gram(Channa) - 0.5 cup

2. Pyaaz/Onion - 1 medium size finely chopped

3. Adrak/Ginger - 1 inch finely chopped

4. Lehsun/Garlic - 2-3 cloves finely chopped

5. Hari Mirch/Green chili - 2-3 finely chopped

6. Mustard oil - 1 tbsp

7. Bhari Mirch ka Aachar/Stuffed Red chili Pickle - 1tbsp

8. Dhaniya/Cilantro Leaves - a handful and finely chopped

9. Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

10. Salt - As per taste

For Chokha:-

1. Aalu/Potato - 4 boiled

2. Baigan/Eggplant - 1 big

3. Tamatar/Tomato - 4 finely chopped

4. Lehsun/Garlic - 4

5. Hari Mirch/Green chili - 2-3 finely chopped

6. Dhaniya/Cilantro Leaves - a handful and finely chopped

7. Mustard oil - 1.5 tbsp

8. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp

9. Salt - As per taste

10. Ghee/Clarified butter - 2 cups

Process

For Dough:-

1. In a bowl add Whole Wheat flour, salt and keep adding water slowly.

2. Knead a smooth and soft dough.

3. Keep aside and cover it with a damp cloth.

For Stuffing:-

1. In another bowl add Sattu, Onions, Ginger, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Green chili's, Salt, Mustard oil, Bhari Mirch ka Aachar and Dhaniya.

2. Mix everything well and set aside.

For Litti:-

1. Make medium size balls from the dough and make sure the size is that of a golf ball.

2. Make a hole in the dough ball and place a spoonful of stuffing in the ceter.

3. Pleat and then make it all round by joining the edges.

4. In a barbeque pit or a clay stove add cow dung cakes and make sure they are semi hot before adding Litti's.

5. Use a grill if you are using coal or wood or else directly place the Litti's in them and roast them until you get a char on them.

6. Take the Litti's and dust them in a cloth.

7. Soak in Ghee.

For Chokha:-

1. Make slits on the Eggplant and sit aside.

2. Cut the Garlic cloves in half and place it inside the slits of the Eggplant.

3. Place the Eggplant and tomatoes on the Barbeeque pit or the clay stove and rost them until soft and cooked ( you can use a gas stove as well).

4. Peel Eggplant, Tomatoes and Potatoes and chop finely.

5. In a bowl add the chopped veggies, Hari Mirch, Dhaniya, Mustard oil, lemon juice and salt.

6. Mix everything thoroughly and Serve with hot Litti's.