There are many varieties of chaat in India – this is papdi chaat which is my favourite.
For the Tamarind & Date Chutney
50g dates
50g jaggery, chopped into smaller pieces
Tamarind pulp or half the amount of paste
Whole yellow peas
1 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp roasted fennel, crushed in a pestle & mortar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
crispy papdis made in advance.
peanut, coriander and mint chutney
barik sev if available
chopped red onions
Method
– To make the peas, soak them overnight to rehydrate, add salt and cook in a pressure cooker for about 15 minutes or in a pan for 1-1½ hours. The peas should be mushy and lose their shape.
– Add to a bowl and mix through a little water to make it a bit foamier.
– To make the chutney, deseed the dates and add to a pan with the jaggery and tamarind. Pour water over the mix. Bring to a boil and cook for half an hour on low heat.
– Leave to simmer until everything is squishy and cooked down and the liquid has thickened.
– Cook until the tamarind is soft, the jaggery has melted and the dates are softened.
– Use a potato masher to break up the tamarind and dates and then pass through a metal sieve to remove all the seeds.
– Add the pulp from the sieve to a pan and add 200-300ml water to break down the flavours to add to the chutney.
– Sieve this mix into the chutney.
– Add fennel and cumin into the chutney with the salt and chilli powder.
– Heat over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
– Turn off heat and allow to cool completely.
– To serve, break up 5 large papdis and cover with the warm or room temperature pea mix.
– Drizzle yoghurt, some chopped onions, watered down chutneys over the peas.
– Add a pinch of salt, chilli powder and chaat masala.
Finally, sprinkle some sev, coriander and pomegranate seeds over the plate and serve.