Chaat is a North Indian street food that is customizable with various, delicious ingredients. In Kerala, this would be comparable to what is called “mixture”, a crunchy savory tea time snack with a “mixture” of nuts, spices, curry leaves, and crunchy bits called Sev. Sev can be made of chickpea flour or gram flour. I made this snack for my family on a weekend, as an appetizer, and we had plenty leftover! So, for your next gathering try this! It’s so light, easy to prepare, and a fun twist to an appetizer.
Ingredients:
Crispy Kale:
· Baby kale, approximately 6-8 oz, enough to lay onto a half sheet pan (washed and dried thoroughly).
· Drizzle kale with 1-2 Tbsp of Olive oil, ½ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
· Combine with clean hands to disperse oil, salt, and pepper evenly.
· Lay kale onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven:
Convection Roast 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes OR
Bake 400 degrees Fahrenheit 10-15 minutes
· Keep an eye on the oven at the 10-minute mark, so it does not burn the kale.
· Set aside after it has crisped up and allow it to cool.
1-2 cups unseasoned puffed rice (can be found in any supermarket in cereal aisle)
¼ tsp chaat masala
¼ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or cayenne powder
¼ tsp dry mango powder (Amchur powder)
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp of ghee
1 cup of Spanish peanuts with skin
6 pre-prepared mini samosas (can be found in frozen section of grocery store; follow package instructions on heating). Chop the cooked samosas to bite size pieces, once it’s cooled.
Tamarind/Date chutney (store bought or homemade)
Cilantro/Mint Chutney (store bought or homemade)
1 chopped shallot
Yogurt sauce:
¼ cup of yogurt diluted with water, mixed to desired consistency
Pinch of dried mint and a pinch of dried cilantro
Salt to taste and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Instructions:
1. Gather all the ingredients and crisp up the baby kale in the oven as directed above.
2. In a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat, add 1 tsp of ghee and allow it to melt.
3. Add the puffed rice; sauté gently, then add the chaat masala, chili powder, mango powder, and salt; combine gently. Heat this through for 2-3 minutes, without burning, then take it off the heat and transfer into a deep bowl. Set this aside to cool.
4. To the same skillet, add 1 tsp of ghee, again. Allow this to melt and add the Spanish peanuts with skin. Roast peanuts on the skillet for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat without burning. Set this aside to cool.
5. We are ready to pull all these ingredients together! Add the chopped samosas, along with the puffed rice to the bowl. Crumble the crispy kale into the same bowl, leaving some larger pieces of kale, as well. Lastly, add the Spanish peanuts to the bowl, mix everything together gently. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed.
6. Serve this app onto a small plate and drizzle the condiments, such as tamarind/date chutney, cilantro/mint chutney, chopped shallots, and the yogurt sauce on top. Enjoy this sweet, savory, and crunchy chaat as a light snack!
Optional Add-ons: Pomegranate seeds, Sev, potatoes. The possibilities are endless!
Tips: Serve right away at room temperature.
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