RAG Demo

Tag: Chaat

  • Aloo Tikki Chaat

    Aloo tikki is the heart of Delhi chaat. Vendors in Chandni Chowk, Lajpat Nagar and every neighbourhood market cook big potato patties slowly on wide, shallow iron tawas, pressing them flat until a thick crust forms. They are then broken open on a leaf plate and loaded with toppings in a rapid, practised sequence.

    The tikki should be crisp and golden outside and soft inside, with a lightly spiced potato filling. The toppings bring every taste at once: sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, cool sweetened curd, warm chickpea ragda, crunchy onion, sev and pomegranate. Chaat masala and roasted cumin tie it together. Nothing is subtle about it.

    It is an evening snack, eaten standing at a stall or made at home for parties. Some versions stuff the tikki with spiced chana dal or peas for extra texture. The tikkis and ragda can be made in advance, and the toppings laid out so everyone can build their own plate. A wide, heavy tawa and a little patience are the only secrets to a crust as good as a street vendor's.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / white peas / curd / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the tikki

    • 5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
    • 3 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
    • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
    • 1/2 inch ginger, grated
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • Oil or ghee for shallow frying

    For the ragda

    • 1 cup dried white peas (safed matar), soaked overnight
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala

    For topping

    • 1 cup thick curd, whisked with 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/2 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked white peas with turmeric, salt and 2 1/2 cups water for 3 whistles until soft. Mash a few peas, add cumin and chaat masala, and simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
    2. Mix the grated potatoes with cornflour, green chilli, ginger, coriander, cumin, chaat masala and salt. Knead into a smooth dough.
    3. Divide into 8 portions and shape into patties 1.5 cm thick with smooth edges.
    4. Heat a heavy tawa on medium and add 3 tbsp oil or ghee. Place the tikkis on it and cook without moving for 6 to 8 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.
    5. Flip carefully, add a little more oil around them and cook the other side for 6 to 7 minutes, pressing gently with the spatula. They should sound crisp when tapped.
    6. To assemble, place 2 tikkis on a plate and press them open slightly. Spoon ragda over them, then curd, tamarind chutney and green chutney.
    7. Top with onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with a sprinkle of chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve at once.

    Tips

    • Use floury, older potatoes boiled a few hours ahead; fresh waxy potatoes make sticky tikkis.
    • Low, steady heat builds the crust; high heat burns the outside before it crisps.
    • Assemble only when ready to eat, or the tikkis lose their crunch.

    Serve with

    Extra chutneys on the side and a cup of masala chai.

  • Pani Puri

    Golgappe in Delhi, pani puri in Mumbai, puchka in Kolkata: the snack has as many names as cities. North Indian vendors carry a large earthen pot of spiced water and a basket of puris, and customers stand in a semicircle as the vendor fills and hands out one puri at a time until they say stop. Delhi's version usually has two waters, spicy and sweet.

    The puri must be paper-thin and crisp so it shatters in the mouth. The filling is boiled potato and kala chana or boondi, and the pani is a sharp, cold blend of mint, coriander, green chilli, tamarind, black salt and roasted cumin. The pleasure is the burst of cold, tangy, spicy water with the crunch of the shell.

    It is street food eaten in the evening, and at home it is a party favourite, with a counter set up for everyone to fill their own. Bought puris are common, but homemade ones are well worth trying. Good puris and well-chilled pani make all the difference, so plan ahead and chill the water for a few hours.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegan
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time45 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientssooji / potato / mint / tamarind / black chickpeas

    Ingredients

    For the puris (about 50)

    • 1 cup fine sooji (semolina)
    • 2 tbsp maida
    • A pinch of baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • About 1/3 cup water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the teekha pani

    • 1 cup mint leaves
    • 1/2 cup coriander leaves
    • 3 to 4 green chillies
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
    • 2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp black salt
    • 1 tsp chaat masala
    • 1/2 tsp regular salt
    • 5 cups chilled water
    • 2 tbsp boondi (optional)

    For the meetha pani

    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • A pinch of black salt

    For the filling

    • 3 potatoes, boiled and diced small
    • 1/2 cup kala chana, soaked and boiled
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. For the puris, mix sooji, maida, soda and salt. Add water little by little and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 30 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes until smooth.
    2. Roll a portion of dough very thin, about 1 mm, and cut out 5 cm discs. Keep the cut discs under a damp cloth so they do not dry.
    3. Heat oil to hot, around 180 C. Slide in 5 to 6 discs and press each gently with a slotted spoon so it puffs. Fry 1 to 2 minutes, turning, until crisp and light golden. Drain and cool completely.
    4. For the teekha pani, blend mint, coriander, chillies and ginger with 1/2 cup water to a smooth paste. Mix with tamarind pulp, spices and chilled water. Strain if you prefer clear pani, and chill for at least 1 hour. Add boondi just before serving.
    5. For the meetha pani, whisk the tamarind-date chutney with water, cumin and black salt.
    6. Toss the potatoes and chana with chilli powder, cumin, chaat masala, salt and coriander.
    7. To serve, crack a hole in the top of a puri with your thumb, add a teaspoon of filling, dip it in teekha or meetha pani and eat in one bite.

    Tips

    • Puris that do not puff were either rolled too thick or the oil was not hot enough.
    • Store cooled puris in an airtight tin; re-crisp in a warm oven for 5 minutes if they soften.
    • The pani tastes best ice-cold and made a few hours ahead, so the spices infuse.

    Serve with

    Extra chilled pani and a final sukha puri sprinkled with chaat masala.

  • Papdi Chaat

    Papdi chaat is one of the oldest and most loved chaats of Delhi, sold from carts and halwai shops all over the city. Its origins are often linked to Mughal-era Delhi, where chaat (from chatna, to lick) was believed to be a tasty remedy for the city's heavy food. Today it is the standard order alongside dahi bhalla and aloo tikki.

    The base is papdi, thin flaky crackers of maida flavoured with ajwain and fried crisp. They are topped with diced potato, boiled chickpeas, whisked sweetened curd and two chutneys, then showered with sev, onion, pomegranate, coriander and chaat masala. The magic is the contrast of crisp and soft, cold and spicy, sweet and sour.

    It is eaten as an afternoon or evening snack and is a fixture at weddings and parties. Assemble just before eating; papdi softens quickly under the curd. The papdis, chutneys and boiled potatoes and chickpeas can all be prepared in advance, so the final plate comes together in two minutes. Adjust the balance of sweet and green chutney to suit your taste, and do not forget the final shower of chaat masala.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / potato / chickpeas / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the papdi

    • 1 cup maida
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
    • About 1/4 cup water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the topping

    • 2 potatoes, boiled and diced
    • 1 cup boiled kabuli chana
    • 1 1/2 cups thick curd, whisked with 2 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/3 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Mix maida, ajwain and salt. Rub in the oil until the flour looks like breadcrumbs and holds when pressed.
    2. Add water gradually and knead into a stiff dough. Rest 15 minutes.
    3. Roll the dough thin, about 2 mm, and cut into 5 cm discs. Prick each disc several times with a fork so it does not puff.
    4. Heat oil on medium-low, around 150 C. Fry the papdis in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until crisp and pale golden. Low heat keeps them flaky. Drain and cool completely.
    5. Season the potatoes and chickpeas with a little salt, chaat masala and cumin.
    6. To assemble, arrange 6 to 8 papdis on a plate. Top with potato and chickpeas, then pour over generous spoonfuls of curd.
    7. Drizzle with tamarind and green chutneys, scatter onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Papdi keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight jar; make a big batch.
    • Whisk the curd until completely smooth and chill it – cold curd over crisp papdi is the point.
    • Add boiled moong sprouts for extra crunch and protein.

    Serve with

    A cup of masala chai or chilled nimbu pani.

  • Dahi Bhalla

    Dahi bhalla, the North Indian name for dahi vada, is a dish of festivals and summer afternoons. In Delhi it is sold in large trays at chaat shops, the bhallas swimming in curd, and at home it is a fixture of Holi, Diwali and family functions. It has ancient roots; dishes of lentil fritters in curd appear in early Indian texts.

    The bhallas are made from soaked urad dal ground to a light, airy batter, fried and then soaked in water so they become soft and sponge-like. Squeezed and submerged in sweetened, lightly salted curd, they turn melt-in-the-mouth. Tamarind chutney, green chutney, roasted cumin and red chilli add contrast. Everything is served well chilled.

    It is served cold, as a snack or as part of a festive meal, and is especially welcome on hot days. Bhallas can be fried a day ahead and soaked shortly before serving. A well-beaten batter is the secret to soft bhallas, and it is worth taking the time to whisk it by hand. The finished dish keeps well for a day in the fridge, though the toppings are best added just before serving.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsurad dal / curd / tamarind chutney / cumin

    Ingredients

    For the bhallas

    • 1 cup skinless urad dal, soaked 5 to 6 hours
    • 1/2 inch ginger
    • 1 green chilli
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • A pinch of hing
    • 1 tbsp chopped raisins and cashews (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the curd

    • 3 cups thick curd, chilled
    • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black salt
    • 1/4 cup chilled milk

    To serve

    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/4 cup green chutney
    • Roasted cumin powder
    • Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • Chaat masala
    • Chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds

    Method

    1. Drain the urad dal well and grind with ginger and green chilli using as little water as possible, 2 to 3 tbsp, to a smooth, thick batter.
    2. Add salt and hing and beat the batter vigorously with your hand in one direction for 5 minutes until it turns light and fluffy. A small drop should float in water.
    3. Stir in the raisins and cashews. Heat oil on medium. Drop spoonfuls of batter, or shape round bhallas with wet hands, into the oil.
    4. Fry on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, turning, until light golden and cooked through. Too hot and they stay raw inside.
    5. Transfer the hot bhallas straight into a bowl of lukewarm water with a pinch of salt. Soak 20 to 30 minutes until they are soft and swollen.
    6. Whisk the curd with sugar, salt, black salt and milk until smooth and creamy.
    7. Press each bhalla gently between your palms to squeeze out the water, place on a serving dish and pour the curd over to cover completely. Chill 30 minutes.
    8. Before serving, drizzle with both chutneys and sprinkle cumin, chilli powder, chaat masala, coriander and pomegranate.

    Tips

    • Beating the batter well is what makes the bhallas soft; no soda is needed.
    • Do not let the batter turn runny while grinding – add water a spoon at a time.
    • Fried, unsoaked bhallas freeze well; thaw and soak in warm water before using.

    Serve with

    Served chilled on its own, or alongside papdi chaat and aloo tikki.