C is for Chaat: our flavourful August recipe

“Crunchy, customizable, and bursting with flavour''.

Our August recipe celebrates the vibrant mixed chaat; tender chickpeas and buttery potatoes, layered with cool, creamy yogurt, vibrant chutneys, bold spices, and a sprinkle of irresistible crunch.

It’s called “mixed” as it merges all senses into a single plate; sweet, tangy, salty, spicy, and cooling flavours and also in texture: soft chickpeas, velvety yogurt, crisp sev. The ultimate street-food medley.

"Pakistani Mixed Chaat Plate – a burst of tangy, spicy, and crunchy in every bite."

Pakistani Mixed Chaat Plate

Ingredients:

Serves: 3–4 people

Prep time: ~20 minutes

No cooking needed if chickpeas are pre-boiled

• 2 cups boiled chickpeas (chana) – soft but not mushy ( tinned , washed and steamed also possible)

• 3 medium boiled potatoes, cooled and diced

• ½ cup chopped red onion

Yogurt Mixture:

• 1 cup plain yogurt, whisked smooth

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder

• ½ tsp garlic (powder or grated clove)

Spice Mix:

• 1 tsp chaat masala ( add to taste)

• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder

• ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (or regular, adjust heat)

• Pinch of black salt (kala namak)

  
  

Toppings:

• ½ cup sev or papri (crispy fried dough wafers widely available at supermarkets)

• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• Tomatoes

• 1–2 green chillies, finely chopped (adjust to taste)

Chutneys:

• Tamarind chutney (imli) – sweet-sour

• Green chutney (coriander, spicy)

• Squeeze of citrus such as calamansi/calamondin (sweet/ sour)

  
  

Method:

Prep the yogurt:

In a bowl, whisk yogurt with salt, cumin powder, and sugar until smooth and pourable. Chill until ready to serve.

Mix the base:

In a large bowl, combine boiled chickpeas, potatoes, onions, coriander, tomatoes and green chilies.

Add spices:

Sprinkle over the chaat masala, cumin powder, chili powder, and black salt. Toss gently so chickpeas and herbs are evenly coated.

Assemble plates:

Spoon the chana-vegetable mixture onto serving plates.

Pour over 2–3 tablespoons of the prepared yogurt.

Drizzle with tamarind chutney and green chutney as desired.

Top it off:

Garnish with sev or papri, fresh coriander, and/or seeds.

Serve immediately so the crunchy toppings stay crisp.