Alka's Recipe Folder - Chaat Fixes

• Rippled Potato Chip Chaat?!
• Tortilla Chat
• Bengali Chaat

If you would like to know more about Oriental recipes that mix well with traditional south asian dishes, please contact me at alkadidi@mybindi.com

"I love you Alka!"

Chaat Fixes Recipes by Alka Didi

Did your mom pack you any chaat masala when you saw her her last? If she didn't, get yourself over to an indian grocer pronto. When you're there, pick up some chaat masala, ground (browned) cumin, tamarind chutney and mustard oil. You'll never believe the combinations that we came up with...

Rippled Potato Chip Chaat?!

You heard that one right. This recipe calls for Rippled Potato chips (try to get the good stuff ).

Ingredients
• Rippled Potato Chips (broken up a bit)
• Chick peas (straight out of the can, just rinse)
• Thinly chopped onion (soak in water to take that edge off)
• Cumin chaat masala
• Tamarind chutney (make sure its slightly diluted and not thick)

Directions
Arrange chips on a small plate. Pour on the chick peas and onion to taste. (Everyone likes their chaat slightly different - I like mine really zesty with lots of chaat masala, others like lots of tamarind (imli) chutney). Sprinkle on the cumin, chaat masala, tamarind and you're done! This is a great quick fix if you're craving something that only Indian food can satisfy!


Tortilla Chaat

When we had company drop by unannounced, Mom made this one up on the spot. She uses tortillas for the chaat.

Ingredients
• Any size Tortilla
• Boiled potato
• Diced chick peas (same as above)
• Onion (same as above)
• Cumin
• Chaat masala
• Tamarind chutney

Directions
Tortillas need to be sliced up into strips then cut further into bite size pieces. Deep fry. Let dry, and cool. Then make chaat out of it with the same directions as above. You can buy Papris from a store too to make the chaat with, but I always find them a little stale. Tortillas are made of virtually the same ingredients that papris are!


Bengali Chaat

The key ingredient for anything Bengali is Mustard Oil. You'll have to like the taste of mustard oil, and be willing to experience a totally different taste sensation. This chaat is traditionally made with Puffed rice, but where do you find puffed rice? All Indian stores do not carry it. If you can find it then definitely buy it because it is delicious! I recently tried a variation to the puffed rice and used Rice Krispies cereal instead. It worked!

Ingredients
• 2 cups puffed rice or rice krispies cereal
• 2 tablespoons mustard oil (yum)
• diced cucumber diced onion (please presoak to take edge off the onion)
• handful of peanuts (optional but delicious)

Directions
Toss and enjoy.