In India, “chaat” is a word that describes more than just a set of snacks: It’s a way of life, and a category of food that hits practically every element that makes something craveable—sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and crunchy. Chaat can be enjoyed anytime. It’s light enough to be eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, but satisfying enough to take the place of lunch or dinner. Plus, you can find it anywhere there's Indian food—it’s even for sale in the back of many Indian grocery stores.
In a country with as much regional culinary variation as India, chaat remains a “common denominator,” says PriaVanda Chauhan, chef/owner of the Indian street food spot, Desi Galli, in New York (which happens to serve excellent chaat). The exact names of the dishes (one region’s gol gappa is another’s panipuri, and so on) might vary, but you’ll find chaat in some form practically everywhere.
There are tons of different types, and proper methods of eating each. But at its core, any chaat dish is just a combination of a five essential components, each of which contributes to creating an addictive mash-up of flavors and textures:
- The Base: This is usually a carb, be it a samosa (try this easy samosa recipe), a papdi (fried flour cracker), or puffed rice—but it’s often crispy. This is the base upon which all other flavors will be piled on. Sometimes the base will be neutral (puffed rice, papdi), or it will already be spiced (samosa)—either way, more seasonings will be added.
2. The Sauces: Cilantro-mint chutney and tamarind chutney are the two most common sauces in chaat, as they lend spicy and tangy/sweet elements, respectively. Plain yogurt also joins the party, to add a cooling, refreshing note.
3. The Crunch: Besides the base (which often gets soft when loaded up with chutneys), chaat dishes will have other crunchy ingredients like thin sev—little spicy bits of fried potato—or masala chana—fried, spiced chickpeas.
4. The Vegetables: Diced onions, tomatoes, and potatoes figure heavily in chaat. The potatoes are usually simply boiled, and the tomatoes and onions are raw—these are meant to add texture.
5. The Umami: Almost all chaat includes a sprinkling of chaat masala, a ubiquitous Indian spice blend that smells like rotten eggs but adds a jolt of umami to any dish.
And while many places get creative in their chaat offerings (Desi Galli does a French fry based dish!), there are a few staples that you’ll find almost everywhere:
(Also known as: panipuri—“panipuri” literally translates to “water bread” in Hindi)
Spherical fried crisps filled with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and chutneys, served with some kind of flavored water (usually tamarind or cilantro-mint). To eat a gol gappa, you spoon a little bit of the water into the center of the crisp and pop the entire thing in your month. Whatever you do, don’t take a bite out of it, or you’ll end up with a huge mess. “I tell people to eat it like sushi,” Chouhan says.
This is a dish that—like the act of melting cheese on anything—would have to try very hard to be bad. It’s made of a base of chopped up samosas (savory fried pastries filled with spicy potatoes and peas), and topped with chutney, yogurt, and sev (those thin fried potato bits). Each component is wonderful in and of itself, but in this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. To eat, scarf down with a spoon. (Want to make them at home? Try this samosa recipe from Amma restaurant in New York.)
This is like Samosa Chaat, but with samosas subbed out for fried puri crackers. It’s lighter and less spicy—but all too easy to eat a whole lot of.
A puffed rice salad with all sorts of fixings including onions, thin sev, and chutneys that have been thoroughly tossed together. Always order this dish with everything, and eat it quickly—it gets soggy very fast.
A spicy potato and onion cutlet that’s been pan-fried. It’s similar in appearance to a fritter or a more put-together latke. Aloo tikki is usually served with chutneys and yogurt on the side, versus on top—dip your tikki into these liberally. Hot tip: McDonald’s India makes a really fabulous McAloo Tikki Burger, with an aloo tikki patty, sweet tomato aioli, onion, and tomato, which has now achieved cult status in the southern Asian subcontinent.
Fried flour balls that are drowning in yogurt and topped with heavy dustings of black pepper, chili powder, and chaat masala—the combo is a veritable bomb of pungent, sinus-cleaning seasonings. Drink the leftover sauce once you’re done with your vada, or at least dip something else into it. It’s not meant to be wasted, and it’ll cool you down.