Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat

Event: Sunday Funday

Theme: Chickpeas

Recipe: Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat

Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat is a lip smacking, tasty, snack with  flavours that are sweet, salty and tangy all present in one dish. It is popular as street food, especially in North India. If you have cooked or boiled chickpeas, then this dish is very easy to put together. And best part is that it is a healthy snack as besides the sev nothing else is deep fried.

Is Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat  A Salad?

Not really, as for salads we either add a salad dressing or use only salt, pepper and lemon juice. Chana Chaat has many more flavours and ingredients added to it. But yes, you can enjoy this dish like a salad, a light meal or even serve it as a starter.

What Is A Chaat?

It is not pronounced as chat as in English but cha-aa-t.  Chaat derives from the Hindi word cāṭ चाट which means delicious, finger licking good.

Chaat is actually a whole branch of Indian Cuisine on its own. Variations of chaats are found all over India as it has no limits. For example bhel served in the streets of Mumbai is different from what you may have in Kolkata or Bangalore. Slight variations adds a whole new flavour.

Origin Of Chaat

It is believed that Chaats originate from some parts of the State of Uttar Pradesh in India. Dahi Vada or Bara has been mentioned in Sanskrit Encyclopedias but became popular as street food during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Basic chaat contains small crispy puri (deep fried flatbread) served with boiled potato, chopped onion, chutneys, chaat masala and yogurt.

Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat

Chana Chaat or Chickpea Chaat is what I like to prepare during the hot season. My kitchen gets too hot and I want to get out of it as quickly as possible. I usually have the basic green chutney and date tamarind chutney in stock in my freezer. Buy ready made thin sev (chickpea flour deep fried vermicelli like snack) and the dish comes together very quickly. Hubby and I love to have it as light lunch.

Summer time in Magog means picnic time. As the park is so near to my home, we often land up having dinner there… carry my picnic basket from home. One of the dishes that we both enjoy is Chana Chaat.

 

Sunday Funday

By the way, Sunday Funday is a group of Food Bloggers. Every Sunday we  share some fun, traditional, hearty or easy recipes to make Sunday Family Meals a bit more exciting. To join this fun group, visit the Sunday Funday Facebook Page. Request to join in.

 

Theme: Chickpeas

Chickpeas is what Stacy who blogs at Food Lust People Love chose as this week’s theme. Known also as chana, bengal gram, garbanzo beans, Stacy suggested that it should be the main ingredient. This theme is not difficult at all for any Indian Food Blogger as chickpeas, white or brown, chickpea flour, split chickpea lentils all are a vital part of the Indian Cuisine. Check out below how I use Chickpeas in my kitchen.

Some Chickpea, Chickpea Flour, Split Chickpea Recipes

Brown Chickpea Curry

 

Check Out How Members Of Sunday Funday Have Used Chickpeas In Their Recipes

• Chana Chaat – Chickpea Chaat from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Coconut Chickpea New Potato Curry  from Food Lust People Love
• Hummus Flatbread Caprese from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Instant Pot Chickpeas – How to Cook Dried Chickpeas from Cook with Renu
• Pindi Chole from Sneha’s Recipe
• Spicy Rosemary Roasted Carrot Hummus from Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Ingredients Required For Chana Chaat | Chickpea Chaat

The ingredient list may seem long but these days it is easy to get the ready made chutneys, sev and chaat masala  in most Indian Stores or Online.

Chickpeas 

The star ingredient. Here I have used white chickpeas also known as Kabuli chana. You can use the brown/black ones too. Use canned or ones boiled at home. To boil them at home, soak them overnight in enough warm water. Next day drain out the water, wash the chickpeas and pressure cook them with some water and salt. I usually cook them in my Instant Pot on the pressure cook setting.

Potato 

Boil, peel and dice the potato/potatoes. Try with sweet potato.

Onion 

I prefer to use red but can use any you have in your pantry. Peel and chop finely.

Cucumber 

Optional. I use English cucumber which doesn’t need to be peeled. Dice it up nearly the same size as the potato ones. Can use beetroot, corn or carrot instead or with it.

Tomato

Another optional ingredient. Use any you have at home. Normal or baby ones. Chop it.

Mango

I like to use semi ripe mango as that adds a sweet and sour flavour. You can use fresh pomegranate, chopped green apple or grapes instead.

Roasted Peanuts

Optional. I feel it adds a bit of crunch. Can replace them with other roasted nuts like almonds, cashew nuts or roasted chickpeas.

Yogurt

Plain yogurt is best. Another optional ingredient. Hubby loves chana chaat without it and I love it with yogurt. For a vegan version omit the yogurt or use vegan yogurt.

Fresh Coriander/ Cilantro 

no chaat is complete without it.

Fresh Mint 

Optional. I add whenever I get fresh mint. Adds a lovely flavour.

Chutneys

Green Chutney – for homemade one follow this recipe. Ready made too is available in Indian Stores but I have not tasted it.

Date Tamarind Chutney – for homemade one follow this recipe. Ready made too is available in Indian Stores. It tends to be a bit too tangy for my taste but if need be, I add some brown sugar or jaggery to it.

Garlic Chutney – optional. for homemade one follow this recipe.

Chaat Masala 

Easily available in Indian Stores. If you don’t like the taste of black salt omit chaat masala. Instead sprinkle some cumin powder.

Salt 

Add according to your taste. Remember if you have boiled the chickpeas at home, it already has a bit of salt.

Red Chilli Powder 

Add according to your taste. Sometimes I don’t add as sometimes the green chutney and garlic chutney are hot.

Green Chillis 

Optional. Chopped. Add if you like hot food. I have not added any as the green chutney is quite hot.

Sev 

Sev is a popular Indian snack made from chickpea flour. The soft dough is pressed through a special machine into the hot oil. The machine produces thin noodle like strings. There are three sizes available, one that are thick, medium and thin. Usually for chaats the thin or medium one is used. Sev is easily in all Indian Stores and some supermarkets sell it too in the Indian grocery aisle. For homemade sev check out this recipe.

 

 

 

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