Best Chaat Recipes

CHAAT MASALA

Steps:

• If you haven't already, roast any whole spices (ie cumin, coriander, ajwain&/or fennel/aniseed) in a dry heavy bottomed pan for a minute or so until they give off a delicious aroma, then grind well.
• Combine all ingredients, and store in an airtight container.

CHICKPEA-POTATO CHAAT

Steps:

• Potatoes
• Place potatoes in a medium pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1"; season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 15-18 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then halve potatoes. Transfer to a large bowl and chill until ready to use.
• Tamarind Chutney
• Whisk tamarind concentrate, sugar, salt, cayenne, and cumin seeds in another small bowl until combined and sugar is dissolved.
• Green chutney
• Purée cilantro, mint, lime juice, chile, cumin seeds, salt, and ¼ cup water in a blender until smooth.
• Yogurt and assembly
• Whisk lime juice, yogurt, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until combined and sugar is dissolved.
• Add chickpeas, half of chile, ½ cup tomato, ½ cup red onion, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 tsp. chaat masala, ½ cup yogurt mixture, ½ cup tamarind chutney, and ½ cup green chutney to potatoes and toss to combine.
• Transfer chaat to a platter and drizzle 2 Tbsp. yogurt mixture, 2 Tbsp. tamarind chutney, and 2 Tbsp. green chutney over. Sprinkle with a pinch of chaat masala and top with sev and remaining chile, tomato, and red onion as desired. Scatter a few cilantro sprigs on top and serve with remaining yogurt and chutneys alongside.

ALOO CHANNA CHAAT (TANGY POTATO CHICKPEA SNACK)

Steps:

• Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans; place in a bowl.
• Boil water in a pan, add the diced potatoes and cook until they are soft and tender.
• Remove potatoes, drain and set aside to cool.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix the tamarind paste and water.
• Add the chili powder, sugar and salt; mix well.
• Pour the tamarind mixture on the garbanzo beans and add the potatoes, chopped onions and the cilantro.
• Mix well and adjust salt to taste.
• Garnish ideas: a slit green chili or a slice a tomato or a slice of lime with a sprig of mint leaves.

INDIAN CHICKPEA CHAAT SALAD

Steps:

• Mix cucumbers, tomato, and chickpeas together in a salad bowl. Add lemon juice, chaat masala, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHICKEN CHAAT

Steps:

• Wash and cut the chicken into one inch pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add garlic and salt.
• Fry the former till it is light brown.
• Add chicken pieces.
• fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the masala powders.
• Stir for another 3-4 minutes.
• Check to see if the chicken is tender.
• Remove from heat.
• Add lemon juice.
• Garnish with chopped corriander leaves.
• Serve hot.

MURG (CHICKEN) CHAAT

Steps:

• Boil chicken breasts with salt and turmeric powder for 15 minutes.
• Drain, cool and shred the chicken.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté julienned onion, capsicum and tomatoes for 5 minutes.
• Add shredded chicken.
• Add chaat masala and chili powder. Toss well.
• Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

CHAAT - DAHI BATATA PURI

Steps:

• Boil the garbanzo beans in water for about 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork; drain well.
• Beat the yogurt together with the following: fresh grated ginger, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, rock salt or black salt, black pepper and salt.
• Season the mashed potato with salt.
• Break each puri gently with a fork to create a tiny opening on the top. Arrange the puris in 4 plates, 8 in each plate. Or, if using wheat crackers arrange them on a platter or plates. Place the potatoes on top of each cracker. Place about 1 tablespoon of potato in each puri or on each cracker. Place a few garbanzo beans on top of the potato. Spoon the spiced yogurt on top. Spoon green chutney and sweet and sour chutney on top of it. Garnish with the chopped onion, cilantro, and sev on top. Serving tip: I like to set up a number of small bowls with each of the above condiments, so that each person can add whatever they want to, according to their taste and preferences.

CHAAT MASALA

Steps:

• Toast and grind cumin and fennel seeds and combine with remaining ingredients.

PAPDI CHAAT

Steps:

• For the potato-chickpea mixture: Mix together the potatoes, chickpeas, chili powder, cumin and black salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• For the Green Chutney: Combine the sugar, cumin, chilies, cilantro, ginger, mint, lime juice, 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. Makes: 1/3 cup. (See Cook's Note.)
• For the yogurt sauce: Whisk together the yogurt, cumin, 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth and set aside.
• Arrange the tortilla chips or papdi in a single layer on a large platter (just like you were making nachos). Evenly top with the potato-chickpea mixture. Sprinkle with the onion. Drizzle on the yogurt sauce. Drizzle on the tamarind-date chutney. Add dollops of the green chutney. Sprinkle with the chaat masala and cilantro leaves, if using. Evenly and beautifully sprinkle with the sev. Serve right away.

CHAAT MASALA MIXED NUTS WITH CORNFLAKES

Steps:

• Whisk chaat masala, cayenne, and sugar in a small bowl to blend. Combine cornflakes, almonds, cashews, and pecans in a medium bowl.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add cornflake mixture and toss to coat. Cook, tossing often, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer cornflake mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle half of chaat masala mixture over; toss to coat. Sprinkle remaining chaat masala mixture over and toss to coat again. Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl. Do ahead: Nut mix can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

STICKY BOMBAY CHICKEN FROM CHAI, CHAAT & CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Make a couple of slashes ?on each drumstick, ready ?for marinating.
• Combine the soy sauce, olive oil, sugar, garlic, ginger, chilli, five-spice powder and salt in ?a large bowl. Mix well, then ?add the chicken and stir to coat. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour or, preferably, cover the bowl with clingfilm and marinate overnight in ?the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4.
• Tip the chicken and marinade into a shallow roasting tin and bake for 40 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve hot.
• Recipe courtesy of CHAI, CHAAT & CHUTNEY by Chetna Makan.
• Get the book here:.
• https://www.amazon.com/Chai-Chaat-Chutney-journey-through/dp/1784722871/.

CHAAT MASALA SPICE MIX

Steps:

• Like all Indian/Pakistani spice mixes, dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds lightly in a frying pan. Cool for 10-15 mins before grinding.
• This recipe sees 2 inda chillies - Spicy red chilly powder and sweet paprika flakes. Paprika may be substitued with Kashmir chilli powder or coarsely ground deghi mirch (small round chillies) with seeds,
• Cream of tartar further heightens the tart note and is sold in a powder form.
• Ginger powder si also known as sonth. Whole sonth stores well but is tough to run in the dry grinder. Buy ground sonth when possible.
• Sal ammonia or Baker's ammonia further increases the tartness of the recipe. Known as Nohoder in Pakistan/India. Also known as Lime Salt. This is Ammonium Chloride or Mineral Salt.
• Watch the clove powder - it is stinging pungent - fdont get liberal with it.
• Hing = asafoetida. Contributes to the aroma (sour & sulphuric) and whets the appetite. This is a very bold spice mix, impertinent because of the foods it is going to enhance (bland yoghurt, boiled potatoes,etc). This strong flavors and aroma is its hallmark.

CAULIFLOWER CHAAT FOR ONE

Steps:

• Cook the cauliflower: Heat the oil in a sauté pan on high heat, until the oil starts to smoke in small wisps. Add the cauliflower florets and lower the heat to medium-high. Sprinkle with salt and allow the florets to brown in the pan, then stir and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for another minute, then add ginger and jalapeño. Stir well, add cilantro, lemon juice and chaat masala, and stir again. Remove pan from heat.
• Prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients plus 2 tablespoons water in a small food processor and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and get everything incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with almonds. Serve with rice or flatbread.

CHAAT MASALA BY ANUPY SINGLA

Steps:

• TOAST:.
• Dry roast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, plus the dried red chilies, in a shallow heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Stir every 15-20 seconds to prevent burning.
• The spices should be just toasted and aromatic.
• After about 4 minutes of roasting, transfer the mixture to a plate.
• Let cool 15 minutes.
• GRIND:.
• Transfer spices to a spice grinder or the dry jug of a powerful blender.
• Add whole black peppercorns, mango powder (amchur), black salt, ground ginger and carom seeds.
• Process to a fine powder.
• Sift after grinding to get a finer powder.
• Store in an airtight container up to 6 months.

CHANNA CHAAT

Steps:

• Rinse chickpeas and place in a large bowl. Place onionslices in a separate bowl and sprinkle some salt over them. Let stand 15 minutes or so. Squeeze the onion pieces with your hands and then rinse off under tap water.
• Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in a pot of water. Bring to boil and cook until they are firm but cooked through, being careful not to let them get mushy.
• Soak tamarind pulp in 1/4 cup water until soft, then rub pulp with fingers until it is dissolved in the water. Strain and pour the runny part into the chickpeas, discarding any seeds or lumpy parts that are left in the strainer.
• Place potatoes, tomatoes and onion in the bowl with the chickpeas. If using the cucumber, chiles or spring onion, add them as well. Finally, add the chaat masala, mix well, and serve.
• NOTE: If you are using dried chickpeas which have been soaked and softened, add approximately 1 teaspoon of salt to the mixture. The canned chickpeas already have some salt in them.

CAULIFLOWER CHAAT

Steps:

• Sprinkle the cauliflower with the chilli powder. Put a steamer on the hob or place a colander in a pan with 5cm water in the bottom and steam the cauliflower for 5 mins until just tender.
• Blend all the marinade ingredients in a food processor, rub them over the cauliflower, then leave to marinate for 1 hr.
• Cook the cauliflower on a medium-hot barbecue with the lid on until cooked through (check by inserting a small knife into the stem), making sure the cauliflower doesn't directly touch the flames and burn. (Or heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook on a baking tray for 10-15 mins until cooked through.)
• Put the cauliflower on a plate and coat all over with the yogurt. Zig-zag the green chutney over, then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, coriander and fried shallots on top.

CHAAT PARTY

Steps:

• Put each item in an individual bowl alongside a stack of larger bowls to enable your guests to mix up their chaat with a spoon or, more traditionally, their hands.
• As a starter suggestion for assembly: Begin with a crunchy base (crackers, bhel or murukku), add vegetables and fruits, then chutneys and raita, and finally lime juice, plus any combination of other toppings, such as chaat masala, red chile powder and sev. Improv and adjustments are encouraged.

ALOO CHAAT WITH GREEN CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a saute pan, heat the ghee over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the potatoes and fry until golden brown and just starting to crisp up, 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently during the cooking process to ensure even coloring. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and add the chile powder, cumin, chaat masala, onions, and a pinch of salt. Stir gently until the potatoes are evenly coated with spices.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 teaspoon water, and salt to taste. Gently stir the green and tamarind chutneys into the potatoes, season with salt, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sev, drizzle with the seasoned yogurt, and garnish with pomegranate seeds and cilantro. If desired, season with additional chaat masala and add more sev.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat until nearly smoking. Add the dal and toast, swirling the pan occasionally, until the dal takes on a light golden brown color. Immediately transfer the dal to a bowl or onto a plate to prevent it from overtoasting.
• In a food processor or blender, combine the toasted dal and the rest of the ingredients and blend until quite smooth (it will still be a little chunky). Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a thick consistency that holds together on a spoon and is not runny. Taste and season with additional salt and lemon juice, according to taste.

POTATOES WITH CHAAT MASALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine potatoes with the oil, using your hands, until potatoes are lightly oiled.
• Place in roasting pan and roast, turning frequently, for 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt, lemon juice and scallions, and toss. Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve.

CHANA (CHICKPEAS) CHAAT

Steps:

• Boil and cut the potato into cubes.
• Finely chop the tomato and chilli and corriander leaves.
• Add them to the cooked chana.
• Add chaat masala, salt, red chilli powder, roasted cumin seed powder and black salt.
• Mix well.
• Squeeze lime juice.
• Mix well once again.
• Garnish with corriander leaves.
• Serve chilled.