Litti chokha recipe with step by step photos – a rustic and traditional dish of stuffed whole wheat dough balls, where the stuffing is a spiced mix of roasted gram flour or sattu. this recipe comes from bihar and jharkand region in India.
What is litti chokha
Litti is the stuffed whole wheat dough ball and Chokha is a mashed relish that is served with litti. Chokha can be made with roasted eggplant (baingan), boiled or roasted potatoes (aloo) and roasted tomatoes (tamatar). You can make them separately or even combine all three and make one chokha. You can even combine the baingan and tomatoes and make one chokha and make a second one with potatoes.
I made three different chokhas and have already posted them:
Litti with the accompanying chokha is a healthy food. litti chokha is also one of the popular street food in bihar and eastern UP. During my travels to eastern UP, I did see litti chokha stalls on the roads.
I saw various methods of preparing both litti and chokha on youtube and finally made them in my own way. In the stuffing, usually red chilli pickle is added or mango pickle. I did not have either, so added some spices which are added in pickles. If you have red chili pickle or a North Indian mango pickle, then you can add some of the masala in the stuffing.
Method of preparing litti is similar to dal baati of Rajasthan, but taste wise both are miles apart. Both taste different.
Preparing litti chokha is easy but takes a lot of time. So make them at your own pace and time. For the stuffing you will need sattu. Sattu is basically roasted gram flour. If you do not have sattu, then use roasted chana dal without the husks and grind them. Then sieve the flour and use it.
Litti is usually roasted on hot charcoal or dried cow dung fire. This is the traditional method of roasting litti and the taste of littis made this way is very different. At homes an oven can be used to bake littis. If you have charcoal based open grill, then you can use it for roasting littis. You can even roast them on tawa or fry them.
The litti can be cooked in various methods
- Baking in oven : I have explained the baking method in this post.
- Roasting on tawa: just flatten the littis and roast them on a hot tawa on a low flame. Cook them till you see charred spots on them.
- Deep frying in oil: you can shape the littis like kachoris and then deep fry them in oil. But do take care to seal them properly.
- Grilling on tandoor: grill littis on tandoor till they are cooked and slightly charred.
In the step by step photos post, I have only mentioned how to make littis and not chokha, as then it will become too long a post. But in the recipe card given below, I have mentioned all the three recipes of chokha.
How to make litti chokha
A) preparing dough cover
1. In a mixing bowl, take 2 cups whole wheat flour/atta (240 grams) and ¼ teaspoon salt. Also add 1 tablespoon ghee or oil.
2. Now add water in parts and knead to a smooth soft dough. I added ¾ cup water. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add ¾ to 1 cup water.
3. Knead till smooth and soft. Cover the dough and keep aside.
Preparing stuffing for litti
1. In a mortar-pestle take ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and ½ teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds). lightly crush them and keep aside.
2. Take 1 cup sattu/roasted gram flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
3. Add the slightly crushed cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
4. Now add ½ teaspoon ajwain, ½ teaspoon nigella seeds and ½ teaspoon red chilli powder.
5. Next add 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic.
6. Add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and ¼ teaspoon black salt. Also add regular salt as per taste.
7. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
8. Next add 2 teaspoons mustard oil.
9. Mix very well.
10. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons water all over and mix the flour with water evenly. Do add more water if required. The sattu stuffing mixture should not be too dry or too wet. If the mixture is dry, then the dryness is felt when eating littis.
Stuffing and making litti
11. After 30 minutes, now make small or medium sized balls from the dough.
12. first method – sprinkling little flour, roll each dough ball to a circle of about 5 to 6 inches.
13. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center.
14. Pleat and then join the edges.
15. press the joined part and lightly roll the stuffed dough balls in your palms, so as to get a round shape. Keep aside.
16. second method – is to flatten the dough ball with your palms and make a shallow cup.
17. Now place the stuffing.
18. Gently bring together the outer dough cover in the center, while pressing the stuffing. Join and then seal the edges. This is a bit tricky method. So please use the method which suits you. I have mentioned two ways of stuffing the littis.
19. Here is the prepared litti with the second method. Keep the prepared littis under a cotton towel or napkin, so that the dough does not dry out.
Baking litti
20. Prepare all stuffed littis this way and place them on a baking tray, which has been greased with some oil. Do grease baking tray well, otherwise the littis can stuck to the tray.
21. Place the littis in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius. Preheat the oven for 20 minutes prior to baking at 200 degrees celsius.
22. After 10 to 15 minutes of baking, remove the tray and flip each litti. keep the tray back in the oven.
23. Again after 10 to 15 minutes, remove the baking tray and flip each litti. Place the tray back in the oven. You will have to do this once or twice more for even baking.
24. Bake till the crust looks done with some light brown or golden brown spots on them. Timing will vary upon the size and litres of oven. It took me about 45 minutes for these to bake.
25. Brush them with some melted ghee all over.
26. This step is optional and only to get charred spots on the litti. Secure the litti in a pair of tongs and place it on fire. Rotate for a few seconds till you see some charred spots on littis.
27. Serve these Bihari style litti with Baingan chokha, Aloo chokha and Tamatar chokha accompanied with a small bowl of melted ghee. The litti is broken, dipped in ghee and then had with the chokha. You can also add some ghee on the litti and then have them.
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litti chokha
Ingredients
for outer cover of litti
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or 240 grams whole wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or oil
- ¾ to 1 cup water or add as required
for litti stuffing
- 1 cup sattu (roasted gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds or aniseeds)
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds or bishops weed)
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji or onion seeds)
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- ¼ teaspoon black salt
- regular salt as per taste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons mustard oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or add as required
for serving
- baingan chokha
- tomato chokha
- aloo chokha
- ¼ cup melted ghee or use as required
Instructions
preparing dough cover for litti
- In a mixing bowl, take 2 cups whole wheat flour/atta (240 grams) and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Also add 1 tablespoon ghee or oil.
- Now add water in parts and knead to a smooth soft dough. I added 3/4 cup water. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add 3/4 to 1 cup water.
- Knead till smooth and soft. Cover the dough and keep aside.
making stuffing for litti
- In a mortar-pestle take 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds). Lightly crush them and keep aside.
- Take 1 cup sattu/roasted gram flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
- Add the slightly crushed cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
- Now add 1/2 teaspoon ajwain, 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds and 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and 1/4 teaspoon black salt. Also add regular salt as per taste.
- Also add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons mustard oil
- Mix very well.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons water all over and mix the flour with water evenly. Do add more water if required. The sattu stuffing mixture should not be too dry or too wet. If the mixture is dry, then the dryness is felt when eating littis.
stuffing & shaping litti
- After 30 minutes, now make small or medium sized balls from the dough.
- Sprinkling some flour, roll each dough ball to a circle of about 5 to 6 inches.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center.
- Pleat and then join the edges. Press the joined part and lightly roll the stuffed dough balls in your palms, so as to get a round shape. Keep aside.
- Another method is to flatten the the dough ball with your palms and make a shallow cup.
- Now place the stuffing.
- Gently bring together the outer dough cover in the center, while pressing the stuffing. Join and then seal the edges. This is a bit tricky method. So please use the method which suits you.
- Keep the prepared littis under a cotton towel or napkin, so that the dough does not dry out.
- Prepare all stuffed littis this way and place them on a baking tray, which has been greased with some oil. Do grease baking tray well, otherwise the littis can stuck to the tray.
baking litti
- Place the littis in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius. Preheat the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degree celsius prior to baking.
- After 10 to 15 minutes of baking, remove the tray and flip each litti. Keep the tray back in the oven.
- Again after 10 to 15 minutes, remove the baking tray and flip each litti. Place the tray back in the oven. This has to be done once or twice more for even baking of littis.
- Bake till the crust looks done with some light brown or golden brown spots on them. Timing will vary upon the size and litres of oven. It took me about 45 minutes for these to bake.
- Brush the littis with some melted ghee all over.
- This step is optional and only to get charred spots on the litti. Secure the litti in a pair of tongs and place it on fire. Rotate for a few seconds till you see some charred spots on littis.
- Serve these bihari style litti with baingan chokha, aloo chokha and tamatar chokha accompanied with a small bowl of melted ghee. The litti is broken, dipped in ghee and then had with the chokha.
making baingan chokha
- Rinse 1 large baingan/eggplant/aubergine (420 grams) in water. Place it on a wired rack on a stove top or you can place it directly on fire.
- Keep turning the eggplant after 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that its evenly cooked.
- Roast the baingan till its completely cooked and tender. With a knife check the doneness. The knife should slid easily in baingan without any resistance. Remove the baingan and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools down.
- Then peel it and chop.
- Add the chopped baingan in a mixing bowl along with its juices.
- Then add ⅓ cup chopped onions, ½ teaspoon chopped green chilies, ½ teaspoon chopped garlic and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
- Add 1 teaspoon mustard oil. If you want, you can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice for a slight tang. Season with salt.
- Mix everything very well.
making tomato chokha
- Rinse 2 medium to large tomatoes (200 grams) very well in water first. Then place them on a wired grill rack and begin to roast the tomatoes. You can also place them directly on the stove top. You can also grill the tomatoes or roast in the oven. But then you won't get the smoky flavor.
- Turn them after a few minutes for even roasting. The tomatoes should get charred.
- Roast the tomatoes till they are completely cooked from within. With a knife check the doneness. The knife should slid easily in the tomatoes without any resistance.
- Once the tomatoes cool, then peel them and remove the charred skin. Chop them and add the chopped tomatoes along with its juices in a mixing bowl.
- Add ½ teaspoon chopped green chilies, ½ teaspoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, ½ teaspoon mustard oil and ½ teaspoon lemon juice.
- Season with salt as per taste. Mix very well.
- Check the taste and add more lemon juice or mustard oil or green chilies or salt if required.
making aloo chokha
- First boil or steam 2 medium potatoes (160 grams) till they are thoroughly cooked. Allow them to become warm. You can steam them in a pan or electric rice cooker or pressure cook them in 1.25 to 1.5 cups water for 5 to 6 whistles.
- When the potatoes become warm, peel and mash them.
- Add ⅓ cup chopped onion, ½ teaspoon chopped green chilies, ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon mustard oil and ½ teaspoon lemon juice.
- Mix very well. Check the taste and add more salt, lemon juice or green chilies if required.
Nice receipe
Awesome recipe. Made this for my husband who loved it and I am sure will make again in the future!