JFI lentils- parathas stuffed with sattu

When I first read about sailu's ingredient for JFI, I thought, hmmmm that was easy. I have way too many posts with lentils. I love sprouts and have cooked them in quiet a few ways . I did want to do something different though. When I read through her list of lentils, I came across chickpeas. Another one of my faves. A very versatile ingredient. And again something I've made way too many times. So I am sitting there, thinking of something new to make. And thats when I had another bulb moment. Sattu. Its chickpea flour. To be precise, its roasted chickpea flour. Its part of the regional cuisine of Bihar. Its a pantry ingredient and I'd never made it myself. One of our neighbours had treated me to breakfast one day when my folks were away, and she had made parathas stuffed with sattu with a tomato chutney. I was hooked. So, when mom got back I told her all about it. She actually asked the neighbour for a recipe . The neighbour was actually kind enough to come home and make it for us.
So I decided to make parathas with sattu. My mom had made some sattu for me before she'd left. She'd ground some roasted chickpeas and left them for me in a nice airtight bottle.
So, I made the parathas, and I was so pleased with them that I had to tell my friend. He wanted to make them too and I gave him the recipe. Now , get this , he is from Bihar. Talk about taking coals to newcastle. This was the conversation that followed
me: well I make the atta with 1 cup of wheat floor
him: that will give me how many parathas
me: usually with some warm milk
me I got 4 parathas
him: and 1 plain paratha

him: oks
me: cus I used half a cup of sattu
him: oks, go ahead
me: so make the atta and keep it aside
him: oks
me: chop half of a small onion really fine and mix it into the sattu
me: u can add salt and red pepper to taste
me: and then add 2 tsps of olive oil so it all binds together
me: this should give u 4 small laddus
him: oks
him: so far so good


me: keep that aside too and make the chutney
me: I used one huge tomato
me: I peeled it and then cubed it
him: oks
me do u know how to peel tomatoes
him: oks
him: with the peeler
me: u make 4 crosswise thin slits in the skin and soak the tomato in hot water for a minute and then in ice cold water
me: the skin comes off
me: with the peeler, u'll get tomato juice
me: so keep the tomato cubes to one side
him: cool
me: very finely chop one inch piece of ginger
him: oks
me: and 2-3 garlic cloves
him: oks
me: then u use this spice mix called panch poran
him: oks
me: its sposed to have 1 tsp each of saunf, kalaunji, sarson, jeera and methi
him: okey
me: mix em all together and then use 1tsp of the mix
me: heat some olive oil in the pan and add ur mix
him: oks
me: let it splutter and then add the ginger and garlic
me: after 2-3 minutes add the tomatoes
me: let em cook on high heat for 5 minutes and then cover and sim
him: oks
him: oks
me: if u have green chillies , u can add those too
him: oks
me: the whole thing smells nice
me: add some salt to taste
him: I know
me: cook till it looks like a uniform mass and has a nice look to it
him: done
me: so when ur chutney is ready
me u can use one laddu to stuff one loi and make ur paratha
me: and enjoy
me: this is more of english style of sattu preparation
me: my mom taught me this one
me: plus u got to remember i am not from bihar
him: that was good
me: and they taste the same as the one our neighbor made
me: so what if the preparation is different
me: the taste is not compromised