Sisters are for sharing laughter and wiping tears and I thank god I have one to share all my joys and sorrow. The childhood fights and argument have drastically transformed into a stronger present day bond. She is a friend, a mentor, an advisor …what else can I say. I am blessed to have her in my life. This post of mine is dedicated to her, who not only stood firm in my calm and stormy days but also lifted my spirit whenever I was at my lowest point. I'm still surprised and happy to see how my sweet little girl has transformed into a responsible daughter-in-law, a loving wife, a nurturing mother and a fine cook (especially considering the fact that she was least interested in cooking). The apt example of her cooking is litti chokha that I had during our last vacation together, and that was certainly the best litti chokha I have ever eaten.
Born Bengali but being raised in Bihar gave us the privilege of enjoying 2 cuisines simultaneously. Bihari cuisine is much influenced by north and the east Indian cuisine. While I learned the art of making authentic Bihari delicacies like ghugni-murhi, dal-puri, sattu paratha, dal-pitha etc, I could not get my hands perfect on the famous litti-chokha. Litti-chokha (baked dumplings served with mashed, seasoned potato & aubergine, if I have the liberty of analogy) is a classic dish from Bihar in which roasted chickpea flour is seasoned with spice and lemon juice, then this mixture is stuffed into wheat flour dough and then slow cooked on the grill.
Last week I had friends over for dinner and they wanted to taste authentic Bihari food which of course cannot be complete without litti chokha. It was her who guided me over a video call to make sure that I didn’t miss any crucial step. It does require multiple steps but the very first bite of these gorgeous smokey flavored ball, dipped in ghee, stuffed with spicy tangy sattu (chickpea flour) filling, along with smokey baingan aaloo ka chokha, made me realize that it's worth putting all effort. I served it with sarson ki chutney and hara dhania chutney which simply elevate this humble litti chokha. This certainly is food heaven!!
