18 January, 2015
Papdi Chaat
Any Indian street food lover will know exactly what I’m on about today! Crispy, tangy, sweet and spicy flavours all combined into the delicious savoury snack famously known as ‘chaat’.
Lots of possibilities when it comes to chaat but Papdi has always been my favourite. It always brings back fond memories of the handful of years I spent as a child in Delhi. I hadn’t realised until recently how easy it is to recreate the Indian street food magic in one’s own kitchen.
The ingredients can all be prepped in advance making it ideal for easy entertaining and also perfect for an evening meal on busy work days!
I’ve taken a shortcut here by using bottle Maggi Tamarind Sauce. One could make tamarind chutney at home but I wasn’t a fan of the process when I tried! 😉
What I refuse to compromise on is the fresh coriander and garlic chutney. Quick, easy and a wonderful accompaniment to any Indian meal but an absolute requirement for chaat.
Papdi Chaat
Serves 4-6
200g Papdi puris, (available at Indian food shops)
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled OR 1 tin, drained
10 baby potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 red onion
Tamarind chutney (I used Maggi Tamarind Sauce)
1 tub, yogurt
2 teaspoons Chaat masala
2 teaspoons pomegranate powder (anardana)
For the green chutney:
100g coriander
2 garlic gloves
1 green chilli
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt to taste
Chaat masala and red chilli powder for garnish
1. Peel and dice the potatoes and set aside.
2. Cook and drain the chickpeas . Add 2 teaspoons chaat masala, 2 teaspoons pomegranate powder and salt to taste. Mix well and set aside.
3. Prep the chutney by blending the coriander, garlic, green chilli, lemon juice and a little water in a mixer until you get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and red chilli powder to suit your tastes. Add more green chilli if you like it really spicy.
4. Chop up onions and set aside.
5. When you are ready to eat, start assembling! Start by breaking the papdi chips in half and spreading them on a plate.
6. Now, add the chickpeas and potatoes.
7. Drizzle the yogurt over the mix, followed by the coriander chutney and the tamarind sauce.
8. Sprinkle chopped onions for garnish.
9. And lastly, a sprinkle of chaat masala and red chilli powder before gobbling it all up!