Litti Chokha

Prepare the litti dough: mix whole wheat flour with a pinch of salt and ajwain. Add water gradually and knead into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Prepare the sattu filling: mix sattu with chopped onion, green chillies, grated ginger, minced garlic, mustard oil, lemon juice, and salt. Add a little water if needed to bring it together into a crumbly but cohesive filling.

Divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Flatten each ball, place a heaped tablespoon of sattu filling in the center, and seal the edges tightly by pinching. Roll gently into a smooth ball.

Cook the litti: traditionally, roast over cow dung cakes or charcoal for authentic smoky flavor. At home, place on a wire rack over a gas flame or in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the outside is charred and the inside is cooked through.

Once cooked, immediately dip each litti in melted ghee and set aside.

Prepare the chokha: roast the brinjal, potatoes, and tomatoes directly over an open flame until the skins are charred and the insides are soft. Alternatively, roast in the oven at 220°C for 30–35 minutes.

Peel the charred skins from the roasted vegetables. Mash the brinjal, potatoes, and tomatoes together coarsely.

Add mustard oil, chopped green chillies, grated ginger, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt to the mashed vegetables. Mix well.

Taste and adjust seasoning. The chokha should be smoky, tangy, and well-seasoned.

Serve the ghee-dipped litti hot alongside the chokha, with extra ghee for dipping.