My tryst with Sattu Ka Paratha is relatively new than the earlier two recipes (Coconut Samosa and Mango Chutney). I first tasted sattu ka paratha when I was in Delhi. My landlady was from Bihar and she made it exclusively for my parents, when they came to visit me and my brother. She made it so exclusive that only my parents could eat those parathas as the parathas were quite spicy and me and my brother are intolerant to spices.
Fortunately, this was not my single encounter with Sattu ka Paratha. After this incident, I did get number of opportunities to taste sattu ka paratha and gradually my taste developed for this authentic delicacy from Bihar. And obviously, after I got married to my ‘madly in love with chappatis, rotis, litthis and parathas’ husband, I did get number of opportunities to improve my culinary skill to make sattu ka paratha☺️
Sattu, which is also called ‘poor man’s protein,’ is consumed in northern and eastern parts of India. However, it is mostly popular in Bihar, Jharkhand, parts of West Bengal and parts of Uttar Pradesh, and is considered to be staple food in those places. Sattu is basically a powder made from grinding roasted grams/chana. People from Bihar and Jharkhand use it as a cooling agent, as it provides protection against sunstroke. Sattu is considered a super-food, power packed with nutrients that is helpful in digestion, controlling diabetes, and also acts as cooling agent against scorching heat.
Although there are lots of stories attached to the origin of sattu in India, the most common story is the one from Tibet, where for thousands of years it had been used by warriors and monks, who had to go without proper food for the longest time as they were either guarding the monastery or walking treacherous pathways.
On that note, let’s get our hands on yummy and healthy ‘Sattu ka Paratha’.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 6 minutes per paratha Yield: 6 Parathas Equipments used: One mixing bowl, one kneading bowl, one skillet pan, rolling pin & board, one turner
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
- 1 cup sattu powder
- 1 medium sized onion chopped
- 1/8 cup chopped garlic
- 1 table spoon chopped or crushed ginger
- ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1 green chilly
- Half lemon
- 1 table spoon kachi ghani mustard oil
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Water to knead the dough
Method:
- Combine whole wheat flour (atta) with half teaspoon salt and one tablespoon vegetable oil
- Knead the dough with hand by adding little water at a time until the dough is firm
- Once done, add one teaspoon of vegetable oil, spread the oil over the dough
- Cover the dough with a muslin cloth and keep it aside
- Now in a separate container add sattu powder, chopped onion, garlic, chopped coriander leaves and crushed ginger and mix them properly
- Add mustard oil to the above mixture and mix them with your hand
- Add green chilly pieces
- And finally squeeze half lemon to the above sattu mixture
- Take out a little piece of dough, roll it with your hand and then flatten it to make a depression by pressing the edge across the dough, giving it a form of a cup
- Now fill the dough cup with sattu mixture and then cover it
- Flatten the dough again with your hand and then with a rolling pin giving it a round shape
- Now heat a pan on low flame
- Cook the parathas one by one
- For each paratha, add one teaspoon of vegetable oil and cook for a minute. Flip the paratha and repeat the process
- Cook the parathas till the parathas are golden brown
Knead the dough with water after adding salt and oil.
Add oil and spread it over the dough.
Cover the dough with muslin cloth and keep it aside.
Mix sattu powder with chopped onion, chopped garlic, chopped coriander leaves, crushed ginger, mustard oil and chopped green chillies
Flatten the dough with hand and then make a depression to fill the dough with stuffing
Fill the dough with sattu mix and then cover it
Flatten the dough with hand and then with a rolling pin.
Cook the paratha by adding one teaspoon of oil on each side till the paratha is golden brown.
Tips:
- While chopping onion soak the onion in cold water for a while to avoid burning eyes
- For easy peeling you can also soak garlic in water for a while
- If you love spices, you can add more green chillies to the sattu mix
- To get a better taste, mix the sattu powder and kachi ghani mustard oil with hand. However, don’t add green chillies while mixing with hand to avoid burning sensation
- Ensure that the dough is neither too soft nor too firm. You can check by pressing the dough with your finger. It should be soft enough that your finger reaches the bottom of the dough, but your finger should come out easily from the dough without getting stuck
- The quantity of sattu filling in each paratha depends on your preference of quantity of stuffing. In the above mentioned recipe the parathas will be nicely stuffed
- Don’t worry in case of leftover sattu mix. You can have it as it is
- Cook the parathas on low flame to avoid burning
