Step by step photos - Let us "chaat"!

Idli Chaat - where are the idlis hiding??

Mini idlis, perfectly cold & fairly hard are ideally suited.

Idlis - 1 cup

In a pan eat 3 tbsp oil & add one by one, sauting

Onion - 1, chopped

Ginger juliennes - 2 tsp

Minced green chillies - 1-2 tsp

Tomato - 1, chopped

Capsicums, finelty chopped - ½ cup

American sweet corn, parboiled - 3 tbsp

Roasted peanuts - 3 tbsp

Tomato ketchup - 4 tbsp

Chilli sauce - 2 tbsp

Salt - little

When well sauted, add idlis.

Keep covered on low flame for the idlis to absorb the flavours.

Decorate as shown with kara boondi, thin sev, pomegranate seeds, black grapes & coriander leaves.

 

Ragda Patties - a delightful chaat !


Patties:

Potatoes - ½ kg

Bread slices - 4

Salt

Boil & mash potatoes fine.

Mix powdered bread, salt & knead well.

Make patties & shallow fry.

Filling:

Dried white peas ( white vatana) - 1 ½ cups

Soda - ¼ tsp

Salt

Big tomatoes - 2

Oil - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Grind together:

Ginger - 1”

Green chillies - 5,6

Haldi - a pinch

Onions - 2, big

Garlic - 4 flakes

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Amchur - 3 tsp

Soak peas in water overnight.

Wash well & cook with little salt till soft.

Drain & reserve the water, to be added when making the gravy.

Heat oil & temper jeera & garam masala powder.

Add ground paste & fry well.

Add boiled peas, salt & cover with little water.

Add finely chopped tomato & cook till the gravy is thick.

Other ingredients:

Green chutney - refer bhel puri

Sweet chutney - refer bhel puri

Nylon sev

Chopped raw onions

Chopped coriander leaves

To serve:

Place 2 patties on a plate & pour ragda over.

Top with chutneys.

On top, sprinkle chopped onions, sev & coriander leaves.

 

Dahi Papdi Chaat - a filling, enjoyable chaat.

Boiled & cubed potatoes - ½ kg
Crumbled papris - ¼ kg

Thick curds beaten smooth - ½ litre

Very fine sev - ¼ kg

Chopped coriander leaves - 1 cup

Chopped onions - 1 cup

Sweet chutney

Either the date chutney or jaggery-tamarind chutney given in

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7577&postcount=50

green mint chutney:

Pudina - 1 small bunch

Jeera - 1 tsp, roast & powder

Black salt - ½ tsp

Pepper powder - ½ tsp

Gren chillies - 1-2

Salt ( optional)

For pudina chutney, grind pudina leaves, green chillies & black salt.

Add jeera & pepper powders.

Heap cubed potatoes in a large bowl. Add coriander leaves, salt to taste, whipped curd & a pinch of chilli powder, if desired.. Mix evenly.

Just before serving,, add crushed papri pieces to potatoes.

Toss.

Top with chopped onions.

Add a tbsp of both chutneys & sprinkle sev on top.

If you like, any green coriander chutney can be used instead of pudina chutney.

 

Samosa Chole - the youngsters’ “forever favourite” chat!

This forms a meal by itself.
Chole:

Chick peas( Kabul Channa) - 1 cup

Onions - 2, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2, finely chopped

Green chilies - 2,3, slit lengthwise

Ginger juliennes - 3 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Dhania powder - 1 tsp

Chole masala - 3 tsp (store-bought )

Oil - 3 tbsp

Dry methi leaves - 2 tsp

To serve :

Sweet chutney

Either the date chutney or jaggery-tamarind chutney given in

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7577&postcount=50

green chutney:

Pudina or coriander leaves - 1 small bunch

Jeera - 1 tsp, roast & powder

Black salt - ½ tsp

Pepper powder - ½ tsp

Green chillies - 1-2

Salt ( optional)

For chutney, grind pudina or coriander leaves, green chillies & black salt.

Add jeera & pepper powders.

To garnish:

Chopped onions, Chopped coriander leaves, sev

Soak channa with ½ tsp cooking soda overnight.

Wash well & pressurize with little salt & a teabag immersed till very soft.

Take 2 tbsp & grind to a paste.

Hear oil in a pressure pan & brown onions well.

Next add tomatoes, green chillies & ginger juliennes.

Fry for 5 mts & add red chilli powder, dhaniya powder & chole masala.

Saute for few mts & add boiled channa & ground paste.

Add salt & if necessary little water to get the right consistency.

Close the cooker, put the weight & cook till one whistle comes.

Cool, open & add 2 tsp ghee when hot.

To serve:

Place 2 samosas, break them into pieces.

Pour chole over it.

Add both chutneys to taste & sprinkle chopped onions.

Garnish with sev & chopped coriander leaves.

 

Sweet Potato Chat - to soar up your energy level !


This is totally oil-free & coconut-free & makes a delightful breakfast with a cup of curds.

Boiled, deskinned & cubed sweet potatoes - 1 cup

Chopped onions - 2 tbsp

Chat masala - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - to garnish

Toss everything together & garnish.

If necessary add a pinch of salt, remembering that chat masala contains salt.

 

Sev Khamani - a delicious Gujarathi snack!!

This is basically khaman dhokla, but presented very differently.

Soak channa dhal - 1 cup for for 4-6 hrs.


Grind like rava with:


Green chillies - 7-8


Ginger - 2”


garlic - 8-10


Salt


It must be very spicy. Add to it:


Citric acid / lemon salt - 1 tsp


Sugar & 1 tbsp oil.


NO SODA!!


Steam like dhokla in a greased plate for 15 mtes, till done.


Take out & cool COMPLETELY.


Crush into pieces, break thoroughly & sieve to make it grainy.


Heat 4 tbsp oil & add


Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp


Hing


Finely chopped green chillies - 2


Water - ¾ cup


Sugar - 1 tsp


Add sieved khaman, sauté till water is absorbed.


Add 2 tbsp grated coconut & chopped coriander leaves.Serve topped with nylon sev, pomegranate seeds, coconut & coriander leaves.

 

Chaas(h) Paniyaram Chaat - call it north-south fusion!

Make chaash with

Curds - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup (or a little more)

Black salt, jeera powder, pepper powder to taste.

Whisk well & keep ready.

Soak & grind ½ cup of urad dhal as for dahivada. A slightly loose batter is fine.

To that add,

Chopped green chillies & ginger - each 1 tbsp

Salt, hing & chopped coriander leaves.

Fruit salt - ½ tsp

Whisk very well to aerate.

Drop small balls in paniyaram pan.

Shallow fry, flipping.

When golden brown, transfer directly to the chaash. They will soak well & be ready in 30 mtes.

Serve chilled.

Decorate with sev & sweet chutney.

 

Lemon-mint-Cornflakes chaat - very quick to make.

For this buy raw cornflakes (unroasted) & use.

Take 1 cup of raw cornflakes.

Deep fry in small batches keeping them in a steel strainer & dipping the strainer in hot oil.

They will cook fast.

Remove & spread on a tissue
.
When hot, add red chilli powder & salt,crushing them lightly with hand.

In a kadai, heat 1 tbsp oil & add:

Hing - ½ tsp

khus khus - 1 tbsp

White til seeds - 2 tbsp

Dried & chopped mint leaves - ½ cup

Finely chopped green chillies - 2 tsp

Switch off the gas & grate lemon rind directly over it.

Add more red chilli powder (optional) & salt.

Pour this over the mixture.

Add 1 cup nylon sev to the above.

Mix well.

When serving you can add sweet chutney, onions etc if you prefer.

Tomato ketchup also goes with it.

 

Veg-Fruit-Dahi Chaat - meal in a bowl!!

Soak ½ cup uraddhal as for dahi vada & grind fine. Add minced green chillies, ginger, hing & salt.

Whisk well & keep ready.

For the filling:

Boiled & mashed potatoes - 2

Chopped & boiled carrots + beans + peas - ½ cup

Minced green chillies+ginger - 1 tbsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves - ½ cup

Garam masala, amchur powder & sugar - to taste

Mix well & make small balls.

Dip these in urad paste & shallow fry in paniyaram pan.

Remove & drop into diluted chaash (buttermilk).

For topping:

Mix together

Thick curds - 2 cups

Citrus fruits like

green & violt grapes, oranges, pine apple - 1 cup or more


Green chilli paste - 1 tsp

Sugar - 3-4 tbsp

Salt

In a bowl, arrange the balls dipped in water, after GENTLY pressng them to remove excess water.

Pour over the curd+fruit mixture

Sprinkle:

Lightly boiled sprouts

Roasted crushed peanuts

Pomegranate seeds

Chopped coriander leaves

Sprinkle

Red chilli powder

Chaat Masala

Jeera powder

Chill & serve.

 

Mexican Chaat - now don’t ask me if chaats are popular in mexico!!

This is best served with Nachos!

Rajma beans - ½ cup (soak for 8hrs with soda, wash well, pressure cook with a pinch of salt till soft.). Strain.

Boiled corn - 1 cup

Chopped onions, capsicum & tomato - each, ½ cup

Finely chopped garlic & green chillies - each, 2 tsp

Chaat Masala - 2 tsp

Salt, chopped coriander leaves

For sour cream:

Whisk together:

Fresh cream & thic curds - each, ¼ cup

Salt & ½ tsp lime juice

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil & saute:

Chopped onion

Chopped garlic & green chillies

Tomato

Capsicum

Rajma

Chaat Masala & salt.

Saute well & add 2 tsp lime juice.

Serve this with nacho chips.