Chaat is assembly, not cooking. The only rule that matters is timing: the papdi goes crisp into the bowl and the bowl goes straight to the table, because within five minutes of meeting the yoghurt it has softened.
Build it on a wide plate instead of a deep bowl so every mouthful gets some of each layer.
Ingredients
- 1 pack Chandra Chaat Papdi 175g
- 1 tin TRS Boiled Chickpeas 400g, drained and rinsed
- 4 tbsp Fudco Tamarind & Date Chutney 340g
- 3 tbsp Fudco Fried Crispy Onion 400g
- 1 tsp TRS Cumin Whole 100g
- 250g thick natural yoghurt, whisked with 2 tbsp cold water and 1 tsp sugar
- 1 potato, boiled, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
- 1 red onion and 1 tomato, finely chopped
- Green chutney, if you have a jar open
- Chilli powder, black salt and a handful of coriander
Method
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a minute, until they darken and smell nutty. Cool, then crush to a coarse powder in a mortar. Shop ground cumin will not taste the same here.
- Whisk the yoghurt with the water and sugar until it pours like thick cream. Cold, loose yoghurt is what you want; stiff yoghurt sits in lumps and never coats anything.
- Season the chickpeas with a pinch of salt, a pinch of chilli powder and half the roasted cumin, and warm them for 2 minutes in a dry pan if you like them warm against the cold yoghurt.
- Spread the papdi over a wide plate in a single layer, overlapping a little.
- Scatter over the chickpeas, potato, onion and tomato. Spoon the yoghurt across the top so some papdi stays bare.
- Trail over the tamarind chutney and the green chutney. Dust with the remaining cumin, chilli powder and black salt.
- Finish with the crispy fried onion and coriander, and take it to the table at once.
Cook's notes
Dress only what you are going to eat now. Keep the chickpeas, yoghurt and chutneys in separate bowls and let everyone build their own plate, which also means the papdi stays crisp to the last one. The same base makes a bhel if you swap the papdi for puffed rice, added at the final moment.
Questions
How do I keep papdi chaat from going soggy?
Assemble it at the last moment and serve it straight away. The papdi softens within five minutes of meeting the yoghurt. Leave some papdi bare when you spoon the yoghurt over, and build it on a wide plate so nothing sits drowned at the bottom.
Can I use tinned chickpeas for chaat?
Yes, tinned boiled chickpeas are ready to go. Drain and rinse them, then season with salt, chilli powder and half the roasted cumin. Warm them in a dry pan for 2 minutes if you like the contrast with the cold yoghurt.
Can I prepare papdi chaat in advance?
Yes, prepare the parts and keep them apart. Dice the potato, chop the onion and tomato, whisk the yoghurt and roast the cumin ahead, and keep each in its own bowl. Let everyone build their own plate so the papdi stays crisp.
What yoghurt is best for papdi chaat?
Thick natural yoghurt, whisked with a little cold water and sugar until it pours like thick cream. Stiff yoghurt sits in lumps and never coats the papdi. Keep it cold until the moment you spoon it over.
