Chana Chaat Recipe (Chickpea Chaat)

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried chickpeas (or 1½ to 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas)
• 1 onion (small, chopped finely)
• 1 tomato (small, deseeded & chopped finely)
• ¼ cup cucumber (chopped, optional)
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves (chopped finely)
• 1 to 2 green chili chopped
• 1 to 2 tablespoon tamarind chutney or lemon juice (refer notes)
• ½ teaspoon chaat masala (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder (optional)
• ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

Optional

• 2 tablespoons sev / boondi/ farsan/ mixture or corn flakes
• 2 tablespoons curd / dahi
• 1 teaspoon green chutney
• 1 small potato diced and boiled or air fried

Steps

1. Under running water, rinse the chickpeas thoroughly at least thrice. Leave them to soak in plenty of water for at least 6 to 8 hrs or overnight.
2. Drain away the soaking water, then put the chickpeas in the cooker.
3. Use water to just cover the chickpeas, or about 1 cup: pour it in, then cover the pressure cooker.
4. Use a medium flame to pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles, or cook in the instant pot for 16 minutes. Another option is to cook in a pot with enough water to cover the chickpeas. They should be soft and well cooked without becoming mushy.
5. Open the cooker after the pressure drops and drain the cooking water. Use that water in soups, curries, rasam or sambar, or to make dough.

How to make Chana Chaat

1. Wait until the chana has cooled completely, then add salt, chaat masala and cumin powder.
2. If using tamarind chutney, add it. Without it, squeeze in lemon juice, or make your own chutney following the source notes.
3. Put the chopped onions, chilies, tomatoes and cucumber in with the chana.
4. Toss the mixture and taste it, adding more spices or chaat masala if needed. Green chutney, boiled or fried potatoes, or whisked thick curd may be added if desired.
5. Transfer the chaat to serving bowls. Use sev, mixture or crushed cornflakes as the garnish, then sprinkle coriander leaves over it.
6. Serve the chaat at once.