Litti Chokha

Ingredients

• 240 g whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ghee, for the dough
• 180 ml water
• 100 g ghee, melted, for dipping
• 130 g sattu (roasted black chickpea flour)
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• 1/2 tsp kalonji
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp masala from a jar of mango pickle
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp mustard oil, for the filling
• 1 large aubergine, about 400 g
• 3 medium tomatoes
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped, for the chokha
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, for the chokha
• 1 tbsp mustard oil, for the chokha
• 1/2 tsp black salt
• 1 tsp salt, to taste

Before you cook

• Mix the flour, salt and 1 tablespoon of ghee, then add the water gradually and knead for 6 minutes into a soft dough.
• Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes.
• Crush the cumin and fennel seeds coarsely in a mortar.
• Combine the sattu with the crushed seeds, ajwain, kalonji, ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander, pickle masala, lemon juice, mustard oil and salt.
• Sprinkle in a tablespoon of water at a time until the filling is damp and holds together when pressed.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 200C.
2. Flatten one ball of dough, spoon in a heaped tablespoon of the sattu filling and seal the edges over it.
3. Roll the stuffed ball gently between your palms into a smooth round and set it on a baking tray.
4. Shape the remaining littis in the same way.
5. Bake the littis for 30 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes, until they are hard, golden and cracked across the top.
6. Set the aubergine, tomatoes and potatoes directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill.
7. Turn them every few minutes for about 20 minutes until the skins blacken and the flesh collapses.
8. Leave the roasted vegetables to cool for 10 minutes.
9. Peel away and discard the charred skins.
10. Mash the aubergine, tomato and potato together in a bowl.
11. Fold in the onion, crushed garlic, green chillies, mustard oil, black salt, salt and coriander to finish the chokha.
12. Dip each hot litti into the melted ghee and crack it open with your fingers.
13. Serve the littis alongside the chokha.