· By ODM Masala
Litti Chokha Recipe: Bihari Sattu Litti Without a Coal Fire
Quick answer: Litti chokha is Bihar's best-known meal: wheat dough balls stuffed with a spiced sattu filling, baked or roasted until crisp, then dipped in ghee and eaten with chokha, a smoky mash of roasted brinjal, tomato and potato. At home you can make it in about an hour using an oven, an appe pan or a gas-flame tawa, no coal fire needed.
Litti chokha is also known as litti-chokha, sattu litti or baati chokha in parts of Uttar Pradesh. In English it is often described as "baked wheat balls stuffed with roasted gram flour, served with a roasted vegetable mash". With Chhath and the winter season around the corner, this is the dish every Bihari kitchen comes back to.
What do you need for litti chokha?
For the dough (makes about 10 littis):
- 2 cups wheat atta
- 2 tbsp ghee or mustard oil
- ¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds) and salt to taste
- Water to knead a firm dough
For the sattu filling (the heart of the dish):
- 1 cup chana sattu (roasted gram flour)
- ½ tsp ajwain and ½ tsp kalonji
- 1 tbsp grated ginger, 5-6 garlic cloves (chopped), 2 green chillies (chopped)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tbsp oil from mango or lemon pickle (optional, very traditional)
- Salt to taste and 2-3 tbsp water, just enough to bind
For the chokha: 1 large brinjal (baingan), 2 tomatoes, 2 boiled potatoes, 4 garlic cloves, 1 small onion, green chilli, coriander, 1-2 tbsp raw mustard oil and salt.
How do you make litti step by step?
- Knead the dough. Mix atta, ajwain, salt and ghee. Rub the ghee in well, then add water little by little to make a firm, smooth dough. Rest it for 15 minutes under a cloth.
- Make the filling. Put the sattu in a bowl and add every filling ingredient. Mix with your fingers. Add water a spoon at a time. The filling is right when a fistful holds its shape when pressed but still crumbles when poked.
- Shape the littis. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Flatten each into a small cup, put in 1½-2 tbsp filling, pull the edges up, pinch them shut and roll gently into a smooth ball.
- Bake or roast. Oven: bake at 200°C for about 25-30 minutes, turning once, until golden with small cracks. Appe pan: cook covered on low flame with a few drops of ghee, turning every few minutes, for about 20-25 minutes. Tawa: half-cook on a dry tawa, then roast directly over a low gas flame until spotted brown all over.
- Dip in ghee. Lightly crack each hot litti and dip it in warm ghee, or brush it generously. This is what makes it soft inside and rich.
Timings are rough home guides; judge by colour and a firm, hollow tap.
How do you make chokha?
Roast the brinjal and tomatoes directly on the gas flame until the skins char and the insides go soft. Peel and mash them with the boiled potatoes, then mix in chopped raw garlic, onion, green chilli, coriander, salt and raw mustard oil. That sharp mustard oil and smoky brinjal is the taste of Bihar.
Why does litti go wrong, and how do you fix it?
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling is dry and powdery | Too little moisture | Add more lemon juice, mustard oil or a spoon of water until it holds when pressed |
| Litti cracks open while baking | Dough too soft or too thin at the seam | Knead firmer dough; pinch the seam well and keep the seam side down first |
| Raw inside | Flame too high | Cook on low heat for longer, covered if using an appe pan |
| Filling tastes flat | Stale sattu or too little sourness | Use fresh, nutty-smelling sattu; add pickle oil and extra lemon |
Which sattu should you use for litti?
Use pure chana sattu: dry-roasted Bengal gram ground into flour. Good sattu smells toasty and nutty, with no bitter or musty note. ODM Chana Sattu is pure, freshly ground roasted gram flour, free from artificial additives, with no fillers and no preservatives.
Do not swap in besan, which is raw (see Sattu vs Besan). For more uses of the pack, see How to Use Sattu: Drinks, Litti & Paratha.
To serve: 2-3 hot, ghee-dipped littis per person with chokha, sliced onion and lemon. Leftover filling makes great kalonji-flecked sattu parathas the next morning.
FAQ
What is litti chokha called in English?
There is no single English name. It is usually described as baked wheat dough balls stuffed with spiced roasted gram flour (sattu), served with chokha, a smoky mash of roasted brinjal, tomato and potato.
Can I make litti without an oven?
Yes. An appe pan on low flame works very well, or you can half-cook the littis on a dry tawa and finish them directly over a low gas flame. Traditionally they are roasted over coal or cow-dung cake fire.
Is litti and baati the same?
They look similar but are not the same. Rajasthani baati is usually plain or lightly stuffed and served with dal, while Bihari litti is always stuffed with a tangy, spiced sattu filling and served with chokha.
Ready to make it this weekend? Pick up a pack of ODM Chana Sattu and bring a real taste of Bihar to your table.