If you need to taste the real India, you need to walk down the streets of Hyderabad. Taste buds ki kasam!
I was walking down from my office to have the famous Hyderabadi Biryani and I my eyes got hooked on to something, which I have been hearing for past 10 or 20 years...,
LITTI-CHOKHA.
All of you who know what it is, I am sure your mouth must be watering...; and those who don't know what it is, let me tell you.
It is a unique dish made in Northern India especially in Bihar and UP. In Rajasthan and Haryana it has a similar preparation called Daal-Bhaati.
In villages old ladies generally make dumplings of wheat flour and fill it with sattu-powder. And this dumpling is thrown in the chulha (cooking fireplace using wood). While the food is cooked these Litti or bhati is roasted directly in the fire. Once the surface is brown or dark brown it is removed from fire. This litti is then Broken down and mixed with lots of pure ghee and may be daal or potato curry and given to kids or the men who are whiling away their time while the food is being cooked by the ladies.
I had Litti Chokha, may be real long time back as I have more or less forgotten the taste of it and suddenly on this cold winter day I saw this bright yellow banner saying Litti Chokha. I couldn't resist.
I stopped by and saw the small setup. One angeethi (movable furnace), one frame of a table fan, kneaded flour, Sattu powder and chokha (in curry form) and a can of pure ghee. The Litti was simmering over the furnace and the visual set up was bit too tempting for me. I decided to skip the biryani for a change.
I ordered for a plate and while preparing Dilip Branal, the stall owner started telling about Litti. As per him, Litti Chokha is very healthy diet. It is very good for diabetic patients and the natural carbon (the burnt layer on top) is very healing & beneficial for intestines. It gives strength to intestines and a very healthy digestion.
Sattu that is filled inside these dumplings is made out of chana daal, Ajwain, Zeera, Kali Mirch, Adrak, Lahsun, Mustard oil, Lemon juice, Mangraila & green chilies. Each ingredient is a healthy dietary supplement in itself.
So with his explanation he was ready with the serving. He had crushed the Litti, poured small portion of ghee, placed some green dhaniya ki chutney and lots of aloo curry (instead of chokha, as in South people find it very dry to eat).
I took the plate and this piping hot preparation was simply awesome. You need to taste it to believe it. While Sattu bhaiyya kept on telling his tales of Gorakhpur and his journey to Hyderabad, I kept myself busy in finishing two plates.
For 20 Rs a plate, this is a meal in itself. I had overeaten and honestly till dinner I couldn't eat anything. Not just my taste buds, even my stomach was at peace.
So you dash down to Sattu Bhaiyya for some hot Litti Chokha and I will continue my stroll.
C ya soon
Capt Ahmed www.captionz.biz
