Litti Chokha Bhune Tamatar ki Chutney aur Dhaniya Lehsun ki Chutney

Litti Chokha is a very common street food in Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh too! And we basically hail from U.P….so it’s obvious that our love for this kind authentic food is very strong😁

I remember visiting my Grandma’s place during winters…sitting On the terrace and enjoying the chilly weather while my Granny and my aunts would make these yummy Littis and Chokha..so warm and full of flavour!

Spicy chutneys would accompany them…Bhune Tamatar Ki Chutney and a fiery Dhaniya aur Lehsun ki Chutney! I can’t forget the flavours..the filling of the Litti would be so rustic and earthy. Every bite would taste different 👌☺️

These recipes have been in my family for ages and are passed on to every generation! Although the recipe is pretty much the same in every family in the region.

Here’s my Mother’s recipe which she learnt from her Mother..my Granny😘 …I am sure you will love it.

Yield: serves 2-3 persons (8-9 Litti)

Equipment: a large mixing bowl, measuring cups/ spoons, 3-4 extra mixing bowls, ladles and spatulas, a pair of tongs, a wired roasting rack, a baking tray, a cooling rack.

Ingredients for Litti:

2 cup wholewheat flour

Salt to taste

2 tbsp warm ghee

1 tsp carrom seeds (ajwain)

Water as required to knead the dough

Method:

Take all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the ghee and mix everything well. Then using little water at a time, make a semi stuff dough. Cover it and set it aside while we continue with the stuffing.

Ingredients for Stuffing:

1 cup sattu (roasted chickpea flour, available in stores. But we use only homemade)

Salt to taste

Oil from mango pickle to taste

1 tbsp chopped green chillies

1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp lemon juice

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

3 tbsp raw mustard oil (use any other oil if you like, but mustard oil gives the authentic taste)

1/2 tsp grated ginger

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients well in a bowl. Set it aside for the sattu to absorb the flavours.

Assemble the Litti:

Divide the dough in equal parts. Flatten each part a bit and fill a tbsp orso of the filling like we do for Parathas. Make sure the outer layer isn’t too thick else it won’t cook through. Seal the Litti well. Repeat for the entire batch of dough. Set the stuffed Litti aside. You can cook them in a Tandoor. But I do it this way…check the below pic…it’s self explanatory. Cook all the Littis this way on each side for about 4-5 mins in low flame.

That’s the Litti done! 👌👌

Ingredients for Chokha:

3 nos. boiled, peeled & mashed potatoes

Salt to taste

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped green chilli

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2 tbsp mustard oil (use it raw, or heat it well…cool & then add it)

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set it aside. It’s always served at room temperature. Not hot.

Ingredients for Bhune Tamatar ki Chutney:

4 nos. tomato (roasted)

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tsp chopped green chilli (roasted)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

2 tbsp mustard oil (use it raw or heat it well…then cool & add it)

Method:

You can roast the tomatoes in the tandoor or open flame (my mom does it on an open flame). I do it in the oven, so preheat the oven to 200’c. Prick the tomatoes a few times, apply oil on them ..do the same with one green chilli too. Place these on a greased or foil lined baking tray. Bake for 35 mins using both upper and lower heating coils/ rods at 200’c.

Cool them well, remove the peel from the tomatoes. Mash them roughly, chop the roasted chill too. Mix tomatoes with all the other ingredients well. Set it aside. Chutney is ready. (The roasted garlic is not used in this chutney, but do roast some. We will need it soon. Also, remove the green chilli & garlic pods within 15 of the baking time to avoid burning them. Continue to roast the tomatoes for the rest of the time)

Ingredients for Dhaniya aur Lehsun ki Chutney:

1+1/2 cup clean and chopped coriander leaves

4-5 nos roasted and peeled garlic

1 nos chopped green chilli

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 cup sliced onion

Salt to taste

1-2 tbsp water

1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Grind all the ingredients in a blender, except the lemon juice. Add the juice post the chutney is ready. Mix well. That’s it!

(My Granny always made the chutney on a Sil-Batta, ‘Sil’ is a traditional stone board and the ‘Batta’ is a heavy stone batten which crushes the ingredients…you get an awesome taste of the traditionally pounded chutney 😊)

Now, serve these together as shown in the pic below along with some onions and mooli (radish) and some green chillies..👌👌😋 break open a Litti…put some Choka over it..and dip it in the Chutneys..and do not forget to bite into one of the chillies…I am drooling again😜

Hope you liked this traditional touch from my kitchen….it’s a must try for everyone….😀
Love,

Shreya💗