Sattu facts for kids

Sattu is a special kind of flour. It is mostly used in India and Tibet. Sattu is made from a mix of roasted and ground pulses (like beans or lentils) and cereals (like grains). This dry powder can be used in many different dishes. It can be the main part of a meal or an extra ingredient. Sattu is popular in vegetarian cooking because it gives you lots of protein.

The History of Sattu

Sattu has a long and interesting history. It first came from the Magadh region in Bihar, India. People have been making and using Sattu for a very long time. It is very popular across a large part of Northern India. This includes states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Sattu is also well-known in Telangana. There, it is used as a special offering called prasadam or Nivedyam for the Batukamma festival. In Magadh, people even make a drink from Sattu called "Sattu Ghol."

Sattu prepared for Teejdi (or Teej) festival in Tharparkar region of Sindh, Pakistan

How Sattu is Used

Sattu is used in many different ways in local cooking. In places like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Delhi, Sattu is a very common ingredient.

Sattu in Bihar

In Bihar, Sattu is often served cold as a tasty drink. This is especially popular during hot summer days. It can also be eaten as a soft porridge or a dough. For sweet dishes, Sattu is mixed with fruit slices, sugar, and milk. If you prefer savory (salty) dishes, Sattu can be flavored with green chili, lemon juice, and salt. It is also a popular filling for flatbreads called parathas. In Bihar, Sattu is made from toasted gram flour or toasted barley, or a mix of both. A traditional Bihari dish called litti uses Sattu mixed with a little mustard oil and spices as a delicious filling.

Sattu is the main ingredient in Litti.

Sattu in Punjab

In Punjab, Sattu is used as a cold drink. It helps people stay cool and hydrated in the heat. The traditional way to make it is by mixing it with water and shakker (jaggery, a type of unrefined sugar). Here, Sattu is usually made from toasted, ground barley. Some types are also made by grinding roasted grams.

Sattu in Odisha

In Odisha, Sattu is a popular breakfast food. It is also called chhatua there. There are many ways to prepare chhatua. It is often mixed with ripe bananas, cottage cheese (chenna), yogurt, or milk.

Other Uses of Sattu

Sattu made from ground barley can also be mixed with salt and turmeric. This mixture can then be rolled into small balls. Sometimes, grains like millet and corn are also used to make Sattu.

What Sattu is Made From

Sattu is made by dry roasting grains or grams. The most common ingredients are barley or bengal gram. In Odisha, Sattu or Chatua is made by dry roasting cashew nuts, almonds, millet, barley, and chickpeas. These are then ground into a fine flour.

The traditional way to make Sattu involves using a special iron pot. In this pot, the grains or grams are roasted in sand. After roasting, they are sieved (filtered) to remove the sand. Finally, they are ground into a fine powder.

Where Sattu is Found

Sattu is very common in the Magadh region of Bihar. It is also popular in Jharkhand and other parts of India. This includes the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi.