A craveable Indian street food snack, Aloo Chaat (or in this case Aloo Chana Chaat) is elevated to Michelin-star status with this version hailing from Gymkhana in London. Pan-fried potatoes and chickpeas are enhanced with a mixture of spices and tangy chutney, then finished with cool yogurt and crunchy sev. The result is truly irresistible.
I had perhaps the best Indian meal of my life at Gymkhana in London. That's saying a lot because in the span of a week in the city famous for its Indian food I ate Indian food five times. Lunch at Michelin-starred Gymkhana was in a class of its own. One of my favorite and most memorable bites of food was their take on Aloo Chaat, a popular Indian street snack.
Chaat is a family of Indian snacks which typically include some main ingredient or ingredients such as samosas, fried dough wafers (papri/papdi), potatoes, and/or chickpeas. These are topped with a variety of other ingredients such as yogurt, chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sev, spices, and chutneys.
Aloo chaat vs aloo chana chaat
Aloo means “potato” in Hindi and thus aloo chaat is a chaat or street snack featuring potato as its main element. In many cases, even if it's not included in the name of the chaat, "chana" or chickpeas are included. I've enjoyed many varieties of chaat featuring chickpeas without highlighting them in the name. This recipe is technically aloo chana chaat, even though Gymkhana (and others) omit the "chana" in the name they use. You can call it either name.
Many recipes for aloo chaat feature a rustic combination of fried cubed potatoes tossed in tamarind chutney and spices and finished with sev and pomegranate arils. Meanwhile, as noted above, the version at Gymkhana also features chickpeas, a topping of yogurt (a common ingredient in many other chaats), and extra drizzle of tamarind chutney over the top. It also skips the pomegranate.
I found their version so craveable and perfect that I'm happy to make it exactly as they do. However, you can make adjustments. For a more traditional preparation of aloo chaat, omit the chickpeas but increase the amount of potato to somewhat makeup the difference. Also omit the yogurt and the final drizzle of tamarind chutney. Then sprinkle pomegranate arils over the top.
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: A lot of traditional aloo chaat recipes use russet potatoes which are peeled and cubed. This Gymkhana version uses small new potatoes or small Yukon golds, which aren’t starchy but have a lot more flavor. Because of the way this version of the dish is prepared, this works just fine.
- Chickpeas: Using canned chickpeas to make aloo chana chaat is extremely easy. Just make sure to drain, thoroughly rinse and pat them dry before adding.
- Chaat Masala: There is no substitute for chaat masala. It’s a unique spice mixture which is a key ingredient to making chaats. It includes spices like black salt and dried mango which give it a combination of salty and tangy flavors. Find it in Indian markets or online.
- Tamarind Chutney: This gives a sweet and sour tangy flavor to the dish. Purchase at Indian grocery stores, well-stocked supermarkets, or online. You might also find date tamarind chutney but keep in mind that it’s a bit sweeter than regular tamarind chutney.
- Sev: Sev are crispy thin fried vermicelli snacks made with gram or chickpea flour. They’re often used to garnish chaats. You may see them sold with different thickness or even seasoned, but get the plain thin ones called nylon sev. Look for them at your local Indian grocery store or online. Although you could certainly omit them if you can’t find them, I just love the texture and color that they add.
How to make it
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, season generously with salt, and cook until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Drain and set potatoes aside.
Meanwhile, puree chopped onion, chile, ginger, and fresh cilantro in a food processor until you have a coarse paste. Scrape down the sides as needed. Set aside.
If using new potatoes, lightly crush them using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a flat tray or frying pan. It's okay if they break apart. You could alternatively quarter or halve them. If using small Yukon gold potatoes, cube the potatoes into roughly 1-inch pieces, leaving the skins on.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and add the potatoes and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and chickpeas are both very browned and crisp.
Next, add chaat masala, the pureed onion-cilantro mixture, and tamarind chutney, tossing to coat. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter or wide shallow bowl.
Combine sugar and yogurt in a small mixing bowl and season with salt. Drizzle or spread the yogurt mixture over the potatoes. Then, drizzle ghee or clarified butter and additional tamarind chutney. Garnish aloo chana chaat with sev and a sprig of cilantro.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
Serve aloo chaat immediately for the best results. It’s also fine at room temperature if it sits for a bit. Note that the toppings can lose their crispness so I wouldn’t wait too long. You could also wait to garnish until right before you eat it.
My new potatoes in the photos are a bit larger than others I've used in the past, but they still worked well. The potatoes may fall apart once you lightly crush them (especially if they are a bit larger like mine), but I think that actually helps provide a mixture of textures and sizes for the bites of potato. You could also simply quarter or halve the new potatoes after boiling rather than crushing them for a less rustic finish.
To make a slightly lighter version of aloo chana chaat, toss the boiled potatoes and chickpeas in some oil and roast them in the oven instead. I still recommend boiling the potatoes first, because in the time it takes to crisp up the potatoes in the oven, the chickpeas would dry out. Then, transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with the chaat masala, pureed onion-cilantro mixture, and tamarind chutney before serving.
You could also use leftover roasted or fried potatoes (home fries would be a great option too!). Reheat them either by warming in the oven or placing them in a nonstick skillet to heat them evenly before proceeding with the recipe as directed.
Other recipes you may like
- Homemade Naan and Sanaa Dipping Sauces
- Chicken Saag (Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry)
- Chicken Vindaloo (Goan-style Hot and Sour Chicken)
- Murgh Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
- Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
- Punjabi Dal Makhani
- Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice)
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Aloo Chana Chaat (Potato Chickpea Chaat)
Ingredients
- 1 pound new potatoes or small Yukon Gold potatoes scrubbed
- Kosher salt
- ½ small onion chopped
- 1 serrano chile seeds removed if desired for less spice, chopped
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger peeled, chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed, patted dry
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chaat masala
- 2 ½ tablespoons tamarind chutney divided
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons melted ghee or clarified butter
- ¼ cup sev
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, season generously with salt, and cook until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside.
- Meanwhile, puree the onion, chile, ginger, and ½ cup of the fresh cilantro in a small food processor until you have a coarse paste, scraping down the sides occasionally as needed. Set aside.
- If using small new potatoes, lightly crush them using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a flat tray or frying pan (it's okay if they break apart). You could alternatively quarter or halve them. If using small Yukon gold potatoes, cube the potatoes into roughly 1-inch pieces, leaving the skins on.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and add the potatoes and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and chickpeas are both very browned and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Next, add the chaat masala, the pureed onion-cilantro mixture, and 1 tablespoon tamarind chutney, tossing to coat. Cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter or wide shallow bowl.
- Combine the sugar and yogurt in a small mixing bowl and season with salt. Drizzle or spread the yogurt mixture over the potatoes, followed by drizzling the ghee and the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of tamarind chutney. Garnish with the sev and a sprig of cilantro.
Notes
- Adapted from Gymkhana via Bon Appetit
- There is no substitute for chaat masala. It’s a unique spice mixture which is a key ingredient to making chaats. It includes spices like black salt and dried mango which give it a combination of salty and tangy flavors. Find it in Indian markets or online.
- Sev are crispy thin fried vermicelli snacks made with gram or chickpea flour. They’re often used to garnish chaats. You may see them sold with different thickness or even seasoned, but get the plain thin ones called nylon sev. Look for them at your local Indian grocery store or online. Although you could certainly omit them if you can’t find them, I just love the texture and color that they add.
- Serve aloo chaat immediately for the best results. It’s also fine at room temperature if it sits for a bit. Note that the toppings can lose their crispness so I wouldn’t wait too long. You could also wait to garnish until right before you eat it.
- The potatoes may fall apart once you lightly crush them, but I think that actually helps provide a mixture of textures and sizes for the bites of potato. You could also simply quarter or halve the new potatoes after boiling rather than crushing them for a less rustic finish.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Comments
No Comments