I love chaat as a snack and side dish
Chaat is a nice and healthy curry
All over India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, chaat – chickpea curry – is eaten and enjoyed. Often it is eaten by hand or rolled into hot fresh flatbreads. Double this recipe and it could actually be a nutritious main course.
Chaat can be eaten hot or cold. Served cold, it makes perfect picnic grub.
I like my Chaat to be served quite spicy. In fact I add a lot more green chillies than I suggest in the recipe. Naga chillies taste fantastic with this dish.
This is a nice on for all you out there who, like me, are trying to eat less meat during the week without compromising on taste. No… I will never be a vegetarian but it’s nice to know that I can eat curries like this and not miss meat on my meat-free days.
Chaat curry can be eaten hot or cold.
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How To Make Chaat
Ingredients
- 2 x 400ml tins chickpeas
- 2 teaspoons rapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon garam masala - my recipe is here
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 small onion - finely chopped and blended to a paste with a little water
- 1 x 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes - blended
- 3 x green chilli peppers - chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- A pinch of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Instructions
- Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan.
- When hot, throw in the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves and allow the oil to take on their flavour for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the blended onion into the hot spiced oil and fry for about eight minutes. It should become lightly browned.
- Add the tomatoes and the chopped chillies along with the garlic and ginger pastes.
- Now add the sugar, turmeric and a pinch of chilli powder and stir to combine.
- Dump in the chickpeas and simmer for a further five minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, add a bit more chilli powder if needed and sprinkle the chopped coriander over the top.
- Mix well and serve hot with rice and/or fresh naans.
Ben Bateson
Saturday 10th of October 2020
It all started going downhill after I had a dump in the chickpeas... :)
I was looking for a way to use up lots of chickpeas and green finger chillies and I should have known you'd come to the rescue. Love your books - we have the full collection.
Nate G
Wednesday 27th of May 2015
Tried this recipe. I don't know if I did something wrong, but it came out a little bland. I then added a few shakes of cayenne, half a teaspoon amchur (mango powder), and some kasuri methi (about 1/8 cup) to a small amount I had remaining, and voila! The result was delightful!
Dan Toombs
Monday 20th of July 2015
Hi Nate
Good to hear you got there in the end.
Thanks Dan
Lukasz
Saturday 23rd of May 2015
Thank you for recipes! I want to ask, should I put chickpeas with water from tins or without water?
Dan Toombs
Sunday 4th of October 2015
Hi Lukasz
I always drain the water before using. Hope this helps.
Thanks Dan
Bridget
Wednesday 21st of January 2015
im into the home based curries rather than the oilier restaurant curries and need to increase my folate consumption so spinach, lentils beans are good.
Stu
Friday 22nd of February 2013
Yes! I love to see these kind of recipes, more please (am cooking more vegetarian too). I'll try this one tonight
Dan Toombs
Saturday 23rd of February 2013
I've got loads more veggie recipes on the way. Thanks. Dan