Chaat is an umbrella term for a wide range of roadside foods that typically feature some fried dough with various ingredients, creating a spicy, tangy, or salty flavour, although some chaats are sweet. Chaat is also referred to as a family of savoury snacks that originated in India, typically served as an hors d’oeuvre or at roadside tracks from stalls or food carts across South Asia in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The different kinds of Chaat names from the collection are Aloo and Peas Chaat, Aloo Paneer Chaat, Sprouts Chaat, Raw Mango Chaat, Palak Chaat, Idli Chaat, Boondi Chaat, Cutlet Chaat, Oats Chaat, etc. There are almost more than 500 varieties of Chaat across the country in various states, cities and smaller places as well. In India, “chaat” is a word that describes more than just a set of snacks: It’s a way of life, and a category of food that hits practically every element that makes something craveable—sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and crunchy.
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The original chaat is a mixture of potato pieces, crisp fried bread, dahi vada or dahi Bhalla, gram or chickpeas and tangy-salty spices, with sour Indian chilli and saunth (dried ginger and tamarind sauce), fresh green coriander leaves and yoghurt for garnish, but other popular variants include alu tikkis or samosa. There are those who say the word chaat originated from its literal meaning, ‘to lick’. It was so delicious that people licked their fingers and the bowl made of peepal leaves, called donas, in which it is often served. Others think it originated from the term chatpati (tangy). However, no one truly knows the origin.
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Though Chaats are prepared with a mixture of various ingredients yet, they are not so unhealthy to eat. But, there are Chaat like Aloo Tikki chaat and Samosa chaat can be unhealthy, especially for people who are trying to lose weight. In short, Samosa Chaat is made when samosa is broken into bite-sized pieces and served with masala, chutney, and spices. Even though it’s amazing street food, it can also be made at home. It’s the perfect dish to experiment with because there are so many different sauces and spices to try it with.
Here are a few easy-to-toss, mix, assemble, and relish options for a Sunday evening with Chaats:
Recipe-1] CHATPATA MAKKAI WALA CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Oil-2 tsp Ginger-1 tsp chopped Green chilli-1 tsp chopped Onion-1 small chopped Tomato- 1 small chopped Mint leaves- 8-10 no Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp. chopped Chaat masala-1/2 tsp Lime juice-1 tsp Tomato ketchup-1 tsp Red chili sauce-1 tsp Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp Imli chutney- 2-3 tsp Flat papdis- 4-5 no Nylon sev- 2-3 tbsp. Fresh anardana- 2-3 tbsp. | 1. Boil the American sweet corn until tender and keep aside. 2. Prepare all the cutting and chopping of the ingredients as listed, keep them all chilled until used. 3. Heat oil, add ginger, chillies, corn and saute for a few seconds. Add salt to taste, lime juice, chaat masala and all other sauces and flavourings. 4. Add in the boiled corn, onions, tomatoes, mint, coriander leaves and give it all a nice mix. Add in boiled potato cubes as well for a little more volume in the chaat. 5. Toss the chaat well just before serving and assemble it all on a serving plate and garnish with anardana, coriander, imli chutney and serve it chilled. |
Recipe-2] KALA CHANA FIRANGI CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Oil- 2 tsp Garlic- 1 tsp chopped Ginger-1 tsp chopped Green chillies -1 tsp chopped Kala chana- 2 cups boiled Boiled potatoes-1 cup peeled and diced Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Chaat masala-1/2 tsp Schezuan sauce- 2 tsp Lime juice-2 tsp Tomato ketchup-1 tsp Onions-1 small chopped Tomatoes-1 small chopped Coriander-2 tbsp. chopped Mint leaves- 8-10 no Lightly toasted peanuts- 2-3 tbsp. | 1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chaat masti mazaa for Sundays. 2. In a mixing bowl, toss together the ingredients for the chaat one by one, and add in seasonings to taste, sauces, chutneys, and mix well. 3. Add in the variety of veggies as per taste and give them all a nice mix. 4. Add in a little cream cheese as well to balance the spice if needed. 5. Garnish the chaat well with elements like sev, puries, coriander, chaat masalas and chutneys and offer them immediately. Garnish with toasted or roasted peanuts, mint, coriander, and serve chilled. |
Recipe- 3] MAKHANA MASTI CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Makhanas- lotus seeds-1 cup Oil-2 -3 tsp Salt to taste Black pepper- to taste Lime juice-2 tsp Peanut butter- 2-3 tbsp. Boiled corn-1/2 cup Boiled potatoes-1/2 cup diced Cucumber-1/2 no. peeled and cut Tomatoes- ½ cup diced Boiled chicken cubes- ½ cup Sliced chicken sausages-1/2 cup Tomato ketchup-2- 3 tsp For more options on veggies: Saute sliced zucchini Sliced saute mushrooms Sliced black and green olives Fresh herbs/ parsley/ micro-greens | 1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chaat recipe as listed. 2. Lightly toast the makhanas in oil on a medium flame, and add a little salt and pepper to the makhanas and remove. Allow to cool. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the makhana chaat recipe. Start with the basic ones, add the sauces, and ingredients to flavour the makhanas. I personally also tried it with peanut butter with tomato ketchup, a dash of imli chutney and mint- coriander. 4. Add in the chutneys and seasonings to taste and give it all a nice toss. Set the chaat into small bowls, add makhanas towards the end and sprinkle some more chaat elements onto the chaat bowls and serve it immediately. 5. For garnishing Chaats, we can also use grapes, kiwi, berries, orange segments, cubed papaya, etc, which can also be an option to be used in Chaats. |
Recipe- 4] PAKODE WALI CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Assorted pakodas- onion bhajiyas, potato bhajiyas, moong dal pakodas, Mix veggie pakodas, paneer pakodas, boiled egg pakodas, chicken pakodas, etc can be used. Onions- ½ cup chopped Tomatoes-1/2 cup chopped Mint leaves- 8-10 no Coriander leaves-2 tbsp. chopped Peanut butter chutney-2-3 tbsp. Red chilli sauce-1-2 tsp Garlic red chilli chutney-2-3 tsp Imli chutney- 2-3 tsp Curd- ½ cup beaten. Chaat masala-1/2 tsp Roasted crushed jeera-1/2 tsp Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp Lime juice- 2-3 tsp Fresh fruits- pomegranate seeds or sliced dragon fruit. | 1. To prepare the chaat elements, ensure all the ingredients are freshly cut and kept chilled. 2. Choose between the pakodas as per your choice and taste. Take 2-3 varieties of the pakodas for this chaat recipe. 3. The chaat is to be assembled just before serving. We need to keep all the choices of toppings, chutneys, etc, ready with us for this session. 4. The pakodas can be fried and assembled as chaat while they are a little warm; similarly, the moong dal pakodas can also be served while a little warm with toppings. 5. Ensure the elements of the chaat are handy and ready to use once we start the assembly process. Add the toppings randomly on the pakodas, use squeeze-out bottles to remove the assorted topping sauces, chutneys, etc, on the chaat. 6. Garnish the chaat with assorted garnishes from the classics to the creative ones and make it look nice, attractive and tempting. |
Recipe- 5] PEANUT WALI KHASTA MAZAA CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Peanuts- 1 and a half cups, boiled, fried/ roasted. For non-veg- boiled/grilled/tandoori chicken sliced For veg- paneer tikka- cut sliced/ cubes For the chaat dressing: Oil-1 tsp Imli chutney-2-3 tbsp. Ginger juliennes-2-3 tsp Lime juice-2-3 tsp Mango pickle masala-2 tsp Tomato ketchup-2-3 tsp Raisins- 2-3 tsp Date puree-2-3 tsp White vinegar-1 tsp Brown sugar-1- 2 tsp Mint and coriander- 2-3 tbsp. Onions- ½ cup chopped Tomatoes- ½ cup chopped Green chillies- 1 tsp chopped Chaat masala-1/2 tsp Salt and crushed pepper to taste | 1. Prepare all the elements for the chaat and keep them all ready to toss. 2. Choose between the veg and non-veg options for the chaat combination. 3. Peanuts are a good choice to add to chaat and go well with potatoes, boiled chana, Rajma, chauli, etc. 4. Assorted fruits like apples, pears, orange segments, ripe papaya cubes, grapes, etc. 5. Add in the assorted chutneys, sauces, and chaat ingredients as needed and give it all a nice toss. 6. We can also use papdis, sev, bhujiya, crushed mathhri and other crunchy stuff as well, like soya sticks, namkeen chiwda, et, which can also add taste and volume to the chaat. Garnish and serve immediately. |
Recipe- 6] RAJMA AUR KAIRI WALI CHAAT
| Ingredients | Method |
| Boiled rajma- 2 cups Boiled cubed potatoes- 1 cup Onion-1/2 small chopped Tomatoes- ½ cup chopped Green chillies- 1 tsp chopped Lime juice- 2 tsp Chaat masala powder- ½ tsp Kala namak- ½ tsp Raw mango- ½ cup cut Imli chutney-1/4 cup Green chutney- ¼ cup Tomato ketchup-1 tsp Roasted crushed jeera-1/2 tsp Red chilli powder-1/4 tsp Flat papdi-1/2 cup Nylon serv-1/2 cup Assorted fruits-1/2 cup cut For garnish- Assorted nuts Assorted greens Sliced dates | 1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chaat and ensure they are all cut and kept chilled. 2. Boil the rajma and keep aside. Boil potatoes and peel, cut into cubes and keep aside. 3. Prepare all the other ingredients as well for the chaat and keep it handy. 4. Fruits, garnishes, toppings, options for veg and non-veg need to be checked. 5. Just before serving the guest. We need to add everything from rajma to veggies and kairi into the mixing bowl and add seasonings, chutneys, and sauces as per taste and give it all a nice toss. 6. Assemble the chaat into small glasses, mini portion bowls, etc and place colourful garnishes on the chaat and ensure it is looking fresh. Serve the chaat immediately and relish it. |
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