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Litti
is a cricket ball-shaped food item. Baked
wheat-floor constitutes the outer layer and
Channa Sattu lies in its core. It is full of
Protein. It’s accessories such as chokha (A raw
mixture of boiled Potato, roasted brinjal and
tomato, green chillies, onion, garlic, ginger
etc.), Chatni (Grinded paste of coriander or raw
mangos etc.) and Dahi (curd) are full of
Vitamins. You name the vitamin and it is there
with Litti & company. The consumption of Litti
will force you to drink 1 or 2 liters of water.
Thus, it is very beneficial for health.
Then, why Litti is so poorly confined within a
few of segments of Biharis only?
Why Idli-Dosa or Tandoor items are so famous
although they are oily, spicy and more like a
junk food? Is it because of these items belong
to developed states like Kerala, Karnataka or
Punjab?
Are the junk foods like Pizza, Burger and
cold-drinks famous because they were perpetuated
by developed nations like the US or EU?
Does the current fate of Bihar attribute to the
fate of Litti? Is the Litti sidelined because it
belongs to poor state like Bihar?
All I know, it is happening because, we Biharis
lack sub-nationalism and feel shame on promoting
our culture, language and food.
Why doesn’t any influential Bihari come forward
and open small Litti outlets in our metros? In
all of our metros there are sizeable number of
Biharis who can rush for Litti on very first
day, if they know about the outlet.
Followings are few events related with Litti
that I witnessed myself:
In Sambalpur, Orissa, a Bihari person who just
arrived from Bihar opened up a small Litti thela
under open sky. Within few days his business
attracted huge customers. Even orders in bulk
used to pump from outside. The businessmen and
top officers of nearby industries and coal-mines
wonted his thela to savor the Litti. Bihari,
Oriya, Bengali, Punjabi, Marwari, Madrasi all
fond of his Litti. As always, the local gundas
and police had the birth right to eat his Litti
free of cost. After a gap of one year when I
went back to this place, I wished to eat his
Litti. Unfortunately, his thela was no more as
local municipality vandalized his business and
he packed back to Bihar and never retorted.
Near ISI Kolkata, I saw a grim faced poor old
man sitting on roadside and selling Litti. It
seemed as if he had not got customers since few
days. I went to him simply because he was
selling Bihari item and was surprised to see a
Litti dedicated to ants. On inquiry, the poor
vendor told me that he used to dedicate one
Litti to the ants every day to salvage rest of
the Litties. It was a sentimental moment for me.
In International Trade Fair, Delhi, I went to
the stall of Bihar. I was overwhelmed by seeing
Bihari food items like Litti, Litchi Juice, Bel
(Sirphal) ka ras, Mal-Pua, Khaaja etc.
Unfortunately, I couldn't manage to eat Litti as
it was sold off on that day. So, imagine the
craze for Litti with Biharis. If we do sincere
effort, I can bet, Litti will conquer the world.
If Litti outlets will grow, all segments of
Bihar will be benefited. The farmers will earn
huge money by exporting wheat, chana, aalu,
baigan, dhaniya and tamatar. New flour mills
will mushroom to grind chana for sattu. The milk
man will earn bagfuls of money on the sell of
curd. The packaging industry will boom. The
transporters will earn bagful of money on
loading Litties on their trucks. On lighter
vein, the law and order will improve as people
can hit runaway criminals with Litti. Kids can
pullout Litti from Tiffin boxes and evince as
bomb to scare abductors. The glories will return
with the blessings of this Gol Matol Litti.
In Litti-Chokha outlets, the menu will be
following:
1. Snacks -: Bhuja (Chana, Makai)
2. Start up -: Dahi Chiwada
3. Main Course -: Litti, Chokha (extra chatani,
Dahi)
4. Deserts/Sweets -: Pua, Jalebi, Khaja and
Thekua.
5. Soft Drinks -: Bel (Sirphal) ka ras, aam ka
ras, Satua ka sarbat.
6. Fruits -: Muzaffarpur Litchi, Hajipur Kela
and Langada Aam.
All the best Litti & Company!!
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Comments: |
Mr.
Dubey, even I have done some
deliberations on as to why Litti has
not been able to share the same
amount of desire pangs like other
foods and came to the conclusion
that Litti lacks the 'looks' to make
it a dish of love at first sight.
Before I have all the swords drawn
at me, let me tell you I am a
die-hard litti fan and can bake
litti not only in winter but also in
the sultry hot weather conditions.
But then to attract other people for
whom it lies unnoticed and also for
"let Litti conquer the world" some
manipulations in LITTI LOOKS needed
for sure. - Sonali - Mar. 28,
2006
Hmm, McLitti... there is a certain
ring to it. Any taker? - Arun
Dutta - Mar. 28, 2006
As Sonali said, I guess to make
Litti internationally acceptable we
have to focus on its looks. The
humble looks are not suggestive of
the flavor and taste it hides
within. I feel some decorations have
to be evolved. Something like Litti
Dessing or Litti Icing. Litti
Dressing could be made with
artistically cut onion and garlic. I
few mint leaves and chopped tomato
could be added for color. Litti
Icing could perhaps be a mixture of
some tasty masalas that compliment
its taste. I have suggested what
instantly came to my mind. I leave
the job to the more artistically
inclined among us. Wishing Litti
great success... - Rajesh Chaubey
- Mar. 29, 2006
Dear Mr Dubey, Mr Dutta, Mrs. Sonali
and PatnaDaily readers, thank you
sharing your comments. Although I am
a silent observer at this website
for long, I am positing here for the
first time. Here the story goes.
I was brought up in Patna till high
school and then left for Pune for
MBBS studies. (I manage to be
elected for this prestigious medical
school just because of the fact
wherever we are, we Biharis are the
best). Although I was able to get
almost every food item from all over
the country, my old beloved litti
was nowhere! Moreover, I was not
even able to find the raw material
'sattu' in whole Maharashtra (Let
somebody introduce Litti to Bal
Thackrey). But keeping our spirits
high, Biharis from our batch made
promise to bring sattu with them in
the coming annual holidays and we
kept our promise. Although cooking
inside the hostel room was not
permitted, we Biharis manage to cook
litti right in the hostel on
electric heater (although funny, but
it is possible to cook litti even on
heater. When there is wish, there is
way). In fact, all the floor mates
regardless of their native states
gathered in my room to taste the
'glory'.
That was the story from a place far
away from Bihar but still in India.
Now here is the second story. I was
able to find almost every necessary
items from India in Desi grocery
stores, but again, for some unknown
reason, no signs of sattu anywhere.
And life kept going on, without
'sattu or litti' for almost four
years (I was unable to make a trip
to India due to visa issues).
Finally, the million dollar news
came. Out of the blue, I got a call
that my long lost 'langotia' friend
(along with whom I did All India
Medical entrance exams prep) was in
USA for work purpose. And guess
what! He was returning to India in
next couple of days and was having
some sattu left. I immediately took
leave from the hospital, drove about
eight hours 'short' distance to get
sattu. It was one of the most
nostalgic and precious moments of my
life to meet a school friend at the
same time when I was getting sattu.
We cooked litti there in his
apartment and had it while
remembering our old school days of
Patna. Wo Ashok Rajpath where we
used to cycle every morning and
evening to commute for our college,
wo samose wale ki dukan near front
gate of Science College, where you
could order samosa prepared 'fresh'
right in front of you, and of course
wo station wale litti ki 1 story
dukan, (I think, they are still the
best seller of littis in Patna,
correct me if I am wrong).
For all the people abroad (who are
unfortunate to have 'borsi' 'goitha'
or 'home made oven from earthy
material' can still savor the litti
by cooking it in your kitchen 'oven'
Make litti as you are supposed to
make it otherwise, put it in oven
(it will be better if you don't use
aluminum foil) and let it bake for
30 mins at 350 degree Celsius. No
need to turn it around or do
anything, just let it sit there for
half an hour and you will be all set
to receive the glory of Bihar.
Before I end, one more thing. In
this pizza, burger, idli sambhar,
aloo paratha age, why our litti has
not achieved cosmopolitan glory?
Apart from all the reason been
mentioned by Mr Dubey, I would also
like to add that to savor it, you
really have to be rustic because of
its hardness. I guess, somewhere
during our Bihari civilization, we
made litti rather too 'manly' to
have it. (I hope I am not offending
any lady audience here) but believe
me, according to my wife, she would
love to date a guy who can provide
her the 'soft version' of litti' on
her first outing. Imagine what will
happen when you are with your 'to
be' for the first time and the
waiter will serve 'ltti' in a nice
outfit. By the way, me and my wife
hail from Bihar, and we both are
licensed doctors practicing in
Michigan, USA and I am sure all the
Biharis regardless of their
profession are proud of their
motherland and of course about
'litti' too, wherever they are.
Two thumbs up for LITTI!! - Raj -
Mar. 29, 2006
Read original article and other
comments. I was looking for some
ideas to start something of my own
when I go back to India in 2-3 years
time. McLitti - looks impressive. I
can give it a serious thought.
Thanks. - Anjum Parwej - Mar. 29,
2006 |
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