Aloo Chana Chaat (Potato Chickpea Chaat)

Aloo chana chaat in a white oval serving dish topped with yogurt, tamarind chutney, and sev.

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Aloo Chana Chaat (Potato Chickpea Chaat)

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 403kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

1 pound red or gold new 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
4 tablespoons tamarind chutney divided
⅛ teaspoon sugar
¾ cup plain yogurt
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 halve the potatoes. If they are a bit larger you can quarter them. Set aside.
Meanwhile, puree the onion, chile, ginger, and ½ cup of the fresh cilantro in a small food processor or mini food chopper until you have a coarse paste, scraping down the sides occasionally as needed. Set aside.
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 2 tablespoons 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 remaining 2 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.

Nutrition