Kala chana has a firmer bite and a nuttier taste than the white ones, and the two together make a better chaat than either on its own. Nothing here goes near the hob. It is a snack, a lunchbox filler, and what we put out when people turn up without warning.
Ingredients
- 1 tin Heera boiled kala chana (400g), drained and rinsed
- 1 tin Natco boiled chick peas jumbo (400g), drained and rinsed
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chaat masala, half a tsp of roasted cumin powder, a pinch of black salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh coriander, and sev or crushed papdi to scatter over
Method
- Rinse both lots of chana well under cold water and drain them properly. Wet chana makes a watery chaat.
- Tip them into a bowl with the onion, tomato, cucumber and green chilli.
- Add the chaat masala, cumin powder, black salt and lemon juice, and turn everything over with a spoon rather than stirring hard.
- Taste and adjust. It should read sharp first, then salty, then warm. Rest it for 5 minutes so the onion softens a little.
- Scatter the coriander and sev over the top just before it goes on the table, so the sev stays crisp.
Cook's notes
Add a boiled potato cut into cubes and it becomes a meal. A spoon of tamarind chutney and a spoon of yoghurt turn it into a full plate of chaat.
