Chaating your own flavours

What happens when the street food is not available? Like it was during the initial days of the pandemic? Here are a few chaat recipes you can try at home

Chatpati Bhelpuri

Famous across the subcontinent, Bhelpuri ticks all the boxes – it is crispy, spicy, tangy, as well as crunchy. It is light enough to be eaten as an afternoon snack or as a starter and satisfying enough to be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. It is healthy because it is puffed rice salad with a delicious blend of variety of sauces, vegetables, and chutneys thoroughly tossed together. Bhelpuri is a versatile snack and can be made as per one’s preferences. Skip papdis or sev and add tortilla chips or use tons of veggies for a healthy yet tasty surprise. Different types of spices can be used to give it that scrumptious taste, such as amchur powder, chaat masala, lemon juice, or jal jeera masala.

Dahi Papdi Chaat

This is a recipe that will definitely make up for the absence of the corner chaatwalla. Prepare fresh chutneys, a sweetish tamarind and a spicy mint well in advance to get that delicious sweet-savoury taste. While making papdi, make sure to add wholesome spices such as cumin, carom seeds (ajwain), kalonji (nigella seeds) for a tempting flavour. For a fun and healthy transition, try baking the papdis instead of deep frying them. Each component of this dish is wonderful in itself. However, the whole is even better than the sum of its parts. Bhallas (fried lentil balls), with homemade papdis along with sweet and spicy chutneys garnished with dry fruits and coriander is the perfect mouthwatering snack for rainy hot summer evenings.

Pani Puri

This ever-popular street delicacy does not require any introduction. Gol Gappa, Pani Puri, gupchup, or puchka has spread its wings across the country, and every region has its own amazing gol gappa chat recipe. With its crispy and crunchy texture and satiating, addictive flavour, Gol gappas are the one chaat we can never get bored of. Crispy puris stuffed with mashed potato, onions, chickpeas and drenched in sour and spicy mint flavoured water will definitely sweep all your worries away. Preparing this dish at home is not only a healthier way of enjoying it, but it also allows you to personalize and adjust the recipe as per your tastes. Puffed puris can easily be found at any grocery store, or can even be prepared at home. The seamless balance of spices, chutneys, boondis, and puris make this dish universally-loved.

Samosa Chaat

Flaky, crispy samosas are everyone’s favorites and when devoured as a chaat, it becomes even more delicious and delightful. It is tangy, spicy and wonderfully crunchy. Spicy chickpeas are served with the all-time favourite samosas with dollops of curd and chutneys. This dish is bursting with multiple flavours and textures that are simply irresistible. Samosa chaat makes for an amazing combination with a cup of hot evening chai. Moreover, it is very easy to put together. Perfectly hot and hearty Punjabi Aloo Samosa is the star of this dish. If you are running short on time, you can skip the chickpea curry (chole) and it will still be a treat for your taste buds. Top the samosas with glorious amount of sweet and spicy chutneys, lots of masalas and different kinds of sev.

For a healthy transition, you can bake samosas made from whole wheat flour and replace the traditional aloo stuffing with mixed vegetables. This chaat will undeniably set your taste buds grappling for more.