Litti Chokha
लिट्टी चोखा Litti ChokhaSay it: LIT-tee CHOK-ha
Litti Chokha is the iconic comfort food of Bihar, consisting of roasted whole-wheat dough balls stuffed with roasted gram flour (sattu) and spices, served alongside a smoky mash of roasted eggplant, tomato, and potato. It is everyday village fare as well as a festive dish, traditionally cooked over cow-dung cakes or in a clay oven. The litti is nutty and slightly chewy while the chokha is earthy, tangy, and fragrant with mustard oil and green chilies. A drizzle of ghee brings the two together in a deeply satisfying meal that has remained almost unchanged for centuries.
Litti Chokha
लिट्टी चोखा, Litti Chokha
Pronounced LIT-tee CHOK-ha
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the Litti Dough
For the Sattu Filling
For the Chokha
To Serve
Method
Preheat a gas flame, grill, or tandoor to roast the vegetables for the chokha. Pierce the eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes in a few places. Roast them directly over medium flame, turning frequently, until the skins are completely charred and the flesh is soft, 8-12 minutes each. Set aside to cool.
While the vegetables roast, prepare the sattu filling. In a bowl mix sattu, chopped onion, green chilies, cilantro, lemon juice, ajwain, and salt. Gradually add just enough water or mustard oil to make a crumbly yet cohesive mixture that holds when pressed. Set aside.
Make the dough for the littis. Combine whole wheat flour and salt in a large bowl. Add ghee or mustard oil and rub in until evenly distributed. Slowly add water and knead into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
Peel the charred skins off the roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes. Mash the eggplant and tomatoes coarsely with a fork or potato masher. Mash the potatoes separately and combine all three. Add chopped onion, roasted green chilies, cilantro, mustard oil, salt, and roasted cumin powder. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep covered.
Divide the rested dough into 12-14 equal portions. Roll each into a smooth ball. Flatten a ball into a 3-inch (8 cm) disc, place 2-3 tablespoons of sattu filling in the center, and carefully bring the edges together to seal. Roll gently between your palms to form a slightly flattened ball. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Preheat a heavy cast-iron tawa, skillet, or traditional clay tandoor over medium heat. Place the stuffed littis on the hot surface. Cook, turning every 3-4 minutes, until they develop dark golden-brown spots all over and sound hollow when tapped, about 15-20 minutes total. For authentic flavor, traditional cooks finish them buried in hot ash or cow-dung embers for a few minutes.
Brush or dip the hot littis generously in melted ghee. Serve immediately with a generous mound of chokha, extra raw onion slices, and green chilies if desired.
To reheat leftover littis, warm them on a hot tawa or in a low oven until heated through; the chokha is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated up to one day.
Regional variants
In some parts of Bihar and neighboring Jharkhand the chokha may include roasted garlic or fresh mustard greens. Urban versions sometimes bake the littis in an oven at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes instead of roasting over flame.
Cook's notes
- Sattu is roasted chana dal flour; look for it in Indian grocery stores or roast and grind your own split chickpeas.
- Mustard oil gives the signature pungent flavor; if unavailable, substitute with a mix of sesame oil and a pinch of mustard powder.
- For extra smokiness in the chokha, add a few drops of liquid smoke or a pinch of smoked paprika if you cannot roast over open flame.
Serve with
Raw onion rings, green chilies, extra mustard oil, and buttermilk or lassi.
Make ahead and storage
Litti dough and sattu filling can be prepared 4 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Roasted chokha vegetables can be mashed and refrigerated up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving. Reheat littis on a tawa with a little ghee.
