Summer of  Sattu

The flour is no more a ‘poor man’s protein’ or just a Bihari dish; it is finding inroads into kitchens of star chefs
Sattu paratha
Sattu paratha

Sattu has traditionally been a saviour to protect people from heatstroke. Considered a natural remedy for cooling the body, it is made of roasted and powdered chick peas. High on fibre and low on sodium, it contains good proportions of calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium. Though sattu has been an intrinsic part of the staple diet in Bihar, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, today it has found inroads in the kitchens of star chefs.

Manish Mehrotra, Corporate Chef, Indian Accent, New Delhi and New York, grew up on sattu in his home state Bihar. “Sattu parathas were the best thing on the earth, stuffed with pickle and green chilli,” he says. He gave an interesting twist to his sattu parathas by stuffing them with olives, jalapenos and sun-dried tomatoes. He sources his sattu from the same vendor in Bihar.

For Manoj Rawat, Executive Sous Chef at Le Meridien, Gurgaon and Delhi, sattu is very special. Chef Manoj is from Uttarakhand, hence his culinary affair with it has been very strong. “Phaanu is a signature dish of Uttarakhand. It’s made out of gahat dal. But I like to make Chana Sattu Phaanu, though one can use arhar or green moong dal also. I add jakhiya, my favourite spice of the region, which has a sharp pungent smell and crunchy taste. It goes best with pahari rice or Barnyard millet locally called Jhangora,” he says.

In the south, ragi is perhaps sattu’s best counterpart. A glass of ragi (finger millet) jaava, popularly known as Ambali, is considered the ideal traditional beverage to beat the searing summer heat. Rich in iron, calcium, fibre, protein and low in carbohydrates and fats, ragi is available as ragi whole, ragi flour, multigrain flour, and breakfast mixes such as malted ragi flour. Like litti chokha of Bihar, it is the staple in many villages across south India.

Uttarakhand’s Phaanu
Uttarakhand’s Phaanu

Rajas Handa, owner and master of the newly-launched restaurant Phagun in Juhu, Mumbai, loves to tweak traditional grains for exclusive dishes. Ragi and Tandoori Broccoli Salad is one of such dish in which cinnamon flavour ragi is amalgamated with charcoal-roasted broccoli. He says, “In modern Indian cuisine, we have used ragi with hungcurd cashewnut-marinated broccoli, served with garlic, onions Indian breads. This is the perfect combination of traditional grain with the Western broccoli. Tandoor is the best medium to enhance broccoli’s flavour. Ragi is rich in aminoacids, which is nutritional and gluten free.”

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