It is usually at the local spots in a city that you find authentic and rustic flavours. Each state of India is known for its diversity in culture and cuisine, and several dishes come to be associated with different places. One of them is the famous Litti Chokha. While it is a quintessential Bihari delicacy, the fact that Chef Saransh Goila tasted the best one at a local shop in Jharkhand is noteworthy.
The proximity of the state with Bihar and sharing of borders naturally translates to an exchange of tastes and palates. Chef Saransh, the Founder of Goila Butter Chicken, found himself gorging on a plateful of Litti Chokha at Gaya Singh. Located in the Dhanbad area of Jharkhand, the tiny shack starts early in the morning to prepare this classic dish, so that people can devour it for breakfast.
The chef was swept off his feet with the rich and delectable taste of the dish. He took to his Instagram to share a quick video of himself enjoying it. In the clip, one could see the whole process of litti and chokha being made. The wheat balls filled with sattu are rolled and fried on a coal grill. Once they turn brown, they are cracked open and placed on a plate. The litti is then covered in oodles of ghee. Next, the chokha is prepared with cucumber, onion, baingan bharta (eggplant mash), tomato chutney, raw mango chutney, aloo chokha, and fried chilli.
This chokha is poured over the litti and served hot. The chef seems to be enjoying it a lot as he writes, “Litti Chokha for breakfast is the best thing that happened to me last year”. He also went on to say that the owner of this small shop is a true #sadakchef inspiration. The chef has always been a pioneer when it comes to street food, and makes sure that he tries new, local dishes whenever he’s travelling.
Litti Chokha is said to have originated in the kingdom of Magadha. Gradually, it entered the Mughal courts and even tantalised Britishers with its taste, who relished it with curry. Moreover, it was an easy-to-make dish that satiated the hunger of sepoys during the 1857 revolt and since then, has become an intrinsic part of Bihari cuisine.
