Chaat is both popular and easily accessible. It is found at every market, street corner and crossing in India and can also be made at home without the high calories. An Iftar of chaat can be a lip smacking affair and a healthy choice.
Baked pakoda
Ingredients
Onions 2 (medium sized)
Torai 2
Brinjal 1 (small)
Green chilly 3-4
Potato 1 (optional)
Besan 2 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves, a handful
Oil 2-3 tsp.
Salt and chilli powder to taste
Method: Slice vegetables thin and add all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly till the mixture is moist and crumbly but not sticky. Arrange the vegetables separately on a greased microwave tray or make balls of the mixture. Bake in a microwave oven in the combi (180°C) or grill mode for about 20 minutes, turning every five minutes. They can also be grilled in an ordinary oven but need to be turned frequently. Remove when brown and crispy and serve.
Baked papdi
Ingredients
Semolina (rava) 1 cup
Refined flour (maida) 1/4 cup
Oil 1 tbsp
Ajwain and salt to taste
Method: Knead all ingredients together into firm pliable dough. A little milk may be added if the mixture is to dry. Divide into four balls and then roll out each ball thinly. Using a cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Place the rounds on a greased microwave tray. Bake for about 15 minutes at 180°C or till crisp.
Low cal channa
Ingredients
Black channa or chick peas (soaked overnight and boiled)
Onion 1 (medium sized)
Green chilli 2-3
Chaat or channa masala 1 tsp
Fresh coriander and mint leaves
Salt and chilli powder to taste
Ghee or oil 1 tsp (optional)
Method: Put channa in a pan and add a cup of water. Add other ingredients except coriander and mint leaves and boil. Crush channa with a heavy spoon. When other ingredients blend into the channa and the water dries out, remove from heat and serve garnished with coriander and mint leaves. (The channa can be substituted with steamed green peas).
Baked sabudana tikki
Ingredients
Potatoes (boiled and peeled) 2
Sabudana 1/4 cup
Whole wheat bread 2 slices
Green chillies- 3-4
Coriander and mint leaves 2 tbsp (chopped)
Salt to taste
For Coating
Refined flour 1/2 cup
Corn flour 1 cup
Oil 1-2 tsp
Method: Soak sabudana for 20 min. in a cup of warm water. Mash potatoes, bread and sabudana together and knead into a firm dough. More bread may be added to make dough firm. Next add chillies, coriander, mint and salt. Shape into tikkis. Make a thick paste of refined flour and corn flour. Coat the tikkis with this paste and brush with oil. Bake or grill for about 15 minutes till the tikkis are brown and crisp.
Steamed Dahi Bada
Ingredients
Urad Dal 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Coconut shavings 1 tbsp
Currants 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Fresh curd 2 cups (whipped)
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Roasted cumin seed powder 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala 1/2 tsps.
Salt or sugar to taste.
Method: Grind urad dal in a mixie. Add currants, coconut and salt to the mixture. The mixture should be thick. Pour small portions of the mixture into idli moulds and steam in a pressure cooker (20 min.) or in a microwave oven at 180°C (four minutes).
Dip the steamed rounds in cold water and squeeze gently to soften them. Then drop them in whipped curds which have been flavoured with red chilli powder, cumin seed powder and chaat masala.
Spicy Coriander Mint Chutney
Ingredients
Fresh coriander leaves 1 bunch
Fresh mint leaves 1 bunch
Green chillies 4-5
Amchoor powder 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Method: Grind all ingredients into a thick paste. Serve chaat with this chutney.
The writer is an Associate Professor, Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University.
