Litti Chokha in Appe Pan

An easy version of the traditional dish from Bihar made healthier in Appe pan. The Chokha is made by baking the Eggplant and tomatoes making it perfect for those of us living away from India,where cooking on charcoal is not an option.

The Litti is such a tasty and healthy snack by itself! The first time I ate it, it reminded me of a whole wheat kachori though some people also compare it to the famous Rajathani Bati.

I can eat bowls and bowls of Chokha by itself, nothing needed. Though the traditional way is to cook the eggplant on charcoal, I found the baked version very easy,as clean up was a snap. You would also enjoy Whole Wheat Baked Mathis, and Baingan ka Bharta in a Pressure Cooker.

My husband and daughter ate it for first time and they both loved it. Fresh hot littis,drizzled with ghee and Chokha on the side, whats not to love  Coming from Kolkata, I was first exposed to this dish when our cook, who was from Bihar, first made it many years back. It’s a very popular dish in Bihar,Jharkhand and Bengal and sattu,which is such a power food in my opinion is so under rated. You an read more about the benefits of sattu here.

Here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-

Litti Chokha in Appe Pan

Aanchal Gupta

An easy version of the traditional dish from Bihar made healthier in Appe pan. The Chokha is made by baking the Eggplant and tomatoes.Perfect for the American kitchen where it is hard to roast/grill eggplant on an open flame.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer, Bread/Indian Bread, Breakfast, Dinner, dips, finger food, Lentils/Beans/Dal, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Equipment

• 1 Appe Pan
• 1 baking tray
• 2 mixing bowl
• 1 Rolling Pin

Ingredients

  

For Chokha

• 1 Large Eggplant/Brinjal/baingan
• 4 Medium tomatoes
• 2 Boiled potatoes mashed
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 1/3 cup Cilantro/Coriander/Dhania
• 1 tsp Garlic minced/chopped fine
• 1/2 inch piece Ginger minced/chopped fine
• 2 tsp Mustard oil
• Salt as per Taste
• Little oil for rubbing on Eggplant and Tomatoes.

For Litti

• 2 cups Whole Wheat flour/Atta
• 5 tsp ghee oil for vegan option
• 1/8 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/8 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds
• 3/4 tsp salt or as per taste
• Water for kneading about a cup

Filling for Litti

• 1 cup Sattu/Roasted Gram Flour May use Besan if needed
• 1 tbsp lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds
• 1/4 cup onions chopped
• 1-2 Green Chiles chopped(optional)
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped fine
• 1 tbsp Mustard oil
• 3 tsp Pickle Masala Use from any pickle that you have ready at home
• Melted Ghee for serving Optional for vegans

Instructions

 

For Chokha

• Preheat oven to 450 F and line a baking tray with foil
• Cut Eggplant/brinjal in half,and rub with oil.Rub Tomatoes with oil as well.
• Place both in middle rack of oven for 15 minutes.Turn sides and bake again for 15 minutes.
• Cover the tomatoes with foil for some time,this helps the skin to be removed easily.
• Remove the charred skin of the Eggplant/Brinjal as soon as cool enough to be handled.
• Mix the Eggplant,tomatoes,boiled potatoes with a potato masher/fork or with hands.
• Add onions,ginger,garlic, chilies,cilantro,mustard oil. Add salt few minutes before serving.

For Litti Cover

• Knead the dough and all ingredients with water into a SOFT and Pliable dough.
• Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

For Litti Filling

• Mix all the Ingredients and set aside

For Assembling Litti

• Heat the Appe pan on medium and put some oil in each of the cavities
• Divide dough into 20 small balls
• Roll the dough,make the edges a little thinner than the center.
• Place about 2 tsp filling in the middle of the dough and bring the edges together. Remove excess dough.
• Place in Appe pan and cook on medium till golden on both sides.

For serving

• Break a Litti in half and Pour some hot ghee over the litti and serve with Chokha.

Notes

Littis can be baked in the oven,though the ones in the Appe pan are softer.Apply a little oil and bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.Or cook on a charcoal grill, the traditional way. The Eggplant and tomatoes can also be grilled for a smoky flavor. The Mustard oil in the Chokha adds a very nice flavor. The Achar Masala in the filling can be from any ready pickle available at home, I used Mango Pickle masala. Add salt to Chokha, just before serving. Remove charred skin of eggplant as soon as it’s possible, otherwise the color of the eggplant turns dark.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-

Rub oil over Eggplant/Brinjal and tomatoes and bake in a preheated oven

Cover tomatoes with foil,this helps to remove the skin/peel easily

Remove charred skin/peel when cool enough to be handled

Mash Eggplant,tomatoes and potatoes well

Add onion,garlic,ginger,green chilies,cilantro and mustard oil(add salt just before serving)

Chokha is ready

Ingredients for Litti(outer cover)

Knead into a smooth dough and set aside

Ingredients for Litti(filling)

Mix the ingredients for the filling

Make small balls of the dough and roll them out

Put 2 tsp filling in each disc and bring the edges together

Cook on medium flame with a little ghee/oil

Or flatten them and bake them in an oven

Enjoy with melted ghee drizzled on top of litti

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