Bihari Litti with Baingan-Tomato Chokha

Oven-baked whole-wheat litti filled with spiced sattu, served with a smoky mash of eggplant, tomato and potato.

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Kitchen Handi editorial adaptation for an ordinary home oven and stovetop. Regional source: Bihar Tourism describes litti as a salted baked wheat cake filled with sattu and spices, served with ghee and brinjal or potato mash (https://tourism.bihar.gov.in/en/experiences/food-and-cuisine/main-course/litti-chokha). Method cross-check: Dassana Amit explains dough hydration, sattu filling, sealing, repeated turning during baking, and separate roasted-vegetable chokha (https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/litti-chokha-recipe/). This oil-finished version is vegetarian and vegan; ghee is deliberately not required. Quantities and beginner checks are Kitchen Handi's original adaptation and it is not kitchen-tested. Storage: cool cooked litti and chokha promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C) at 4°C or below, use within 3–4 days, and reheat the chokha to 74°C before serving. Food-safety source: https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/prevent-illness-c-perfringens .

Ingredients

• 240 g Whole-wheat flour (atta) (plus a little only if the dough feels sticky)
• 2 tsp Fine salt (1/2 teaspoon for the dough, 3/4 teaspoon for the filling and 3/4 teaspoon for the chokha)
• 2 tbsp Neutral vegetable oil (1 tablespoon for the dough and 1 tablespoon for brushing the baked litti)
• 240 ml Water (about 180 ml for the dough and up to 60 ml for moistening the sattu filling)
• 120 g Sattu (roasted black-chickpea flour) (sifted if lumpy)
• 0.5 tsp Cumin seeds (lightly crushed)
• 0.5 tsp Fennel seeds (lightly crushed)
• 0.5 tsp Carom seeds (ajwain) (rubbed lightly between the palms)
• 0.5 tsp Nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (reduce to taste)
• 2 piece Green chillies (finely chopped; one for the filling and one for the chokha)
• 10 g Fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
• 12 g Garlic (finely chopped; half for the filling and half for the chokha)
• 30 g Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped; half for the filling and half for the chokha)
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice (2 tablespoons for the filling and 1 tablespoon for the chokha)
• 3 tbsp Mustard oil (2 tablespoons for the filling and 1 tablespoon for the chokha)
• 500 g Large eggplant (aubergine) (left whole for roasting)
• 300 g Ripe tomatoes (about 3 medium, left whole for roasting)
• 300 g Potatoes (about 2 medium, scrubbed)
• 120 g Red onion (finely chopped)

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Put the scrubbed potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cool water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until a knife enters the centre without resistance; drain and leave until cool enough to peel.
2. While the potatoes cook, mix the whole-wheat flour with the dough portion of salt. Rub in 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Add about 160 ml of the measured water gradually and knead for 7–8 minutes, adding up to 20 ml more only if needed. The dough should be medium-soft, smooth and not sticky. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
3. Make the filling: combine the sattu, cumin, fennel, carom and nigella seeds, chilli powder, the filling portions of green chilli, garlic, coriander, lemon juice, mustard oil and salt. Rub well, then add the remaining measured water 1 tablespoon at a time. Stop when a squeezed handful holds together but breaks apart easily; it must not become a paste.
4. Divide the rested dough and filling into eight equal portions. Flatten one dough piece into an 8–9 cm cup, place one filling portion in the centre, bring the edges together and pinch firmly closed. Roll very gently into a ball without exposing the filling. Repeat, keeping the shaped litti covered so the surfaces do not dry.
5. Arrange the eight litti seam-side down on a lightly oiled baking tray with space between them. Bake for 35–40 minutes, turning every 12–15 minutes, until the crust is firm, dry and evenly golden with a few darker spots. If a ball cracks slightly, leave it in place; squeezing it can push out the filling.
6. While the litti bake, roast the whole eggplant and tomatoes over a medium gas flame on a wire rack, turning every 2–3 minutes. Continue until their skins are charred and the flesh is completely soft; a knife should slide into the eggplant without resistance. Put them on a plate to cool. If there is no gas flame, broil them on a lined tray, turning for even charring.
7. Peel the boiled potatoes. Peel away the loose charred skin from the cooled eggplant and tomatoes, discarding the eggplant stem. Check the eggplant flesh carefully and discard it if you see spoilage or extensive seeds that look dark and bitter. Chop the roasted vegetables, then mash them with the potatoes while still slightly warm; keep some texture.
8. Add the onion and the chokha portions of green chilli, garlic, coriander, lemon juice, mustard oil and salt to the mashed vegetables. Mix thoroughly, taste and adjust only with a small extra pinch of salt if needed. The chokha should be spoonable rather than watery.
9. Remove one litti and split it to check the centre: the dough must look cooked rather than sticky or floury. If needed, return the tray for 5 more minutes. Brush the hot litti all over with the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil. For deeper char, hold each briefly with tongs over a low flame, turning constantly; this finishing step is optional.
10. Serve two hot litti per person with the baingan-tomato-potato chokha. Break each litti open at the table and spoon chokha alongside. No rice, bread, ghee or other accompaniment is included in the listed quantities or timing.