We Need to "Chaat"

I have official surprised myself by not dedicating a blog post to "chaat." I am sure you can Wikipedia the word "Indian Chaat" and read all about the deliciousness of these dishes; however, I would describe chaat in two words...simply orgasmic! If I could, I would eat chaat for every meal and drown in the spicy, sweet, and savory goodness of these dishes.

Chaat is an assortment of various ingredients, and it is often served as street food in India. They can comprise of simple ingredients or they can also be a concoction of different dishes (Example: The Bhel versus The Samosa Chaat). So I am using this month's blog bites to create a one dish meal which falls under the genre of chaat. Nupur hosts this event every month at One Hot Stove and I would encourage you take a peek!

This an amazing place for Bhel! Its located in the heart of Pune, India.

I started my chaat recipe with some leftover sundal which I made using this recipe. Indian people love to celebrate and we find the need to feed ourselves for any given occasion. During the month of October and November, there are several Indian festivals that involve great food and the opportunity to wear some beautiful outfits :)  Sundal is a very simple dish made in South India using different lentils, some curry leaves, and coconut. I had some leftover and decided to dress it up.

Sundal Recipe
I used Moong Dal for my recipe
Soak the lentils for 4 hours
Pressure cook the lentils for 3-5 whistles
In a separate pan, heat some oil
Add mustard seeds and let them splutter
Add three dried red chillies (whole), a few curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida
Add this tadka to the lentils
Add some cumin powder, and some freshly shredded coconut

The Final Assembly: Chaat
In a bowl, add the sundal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, and minced green chillies
A chaat is often comprised of various chutneys. I used store both tamarind chutney and homemade cilantro/mint chutney
Beat some fresh yogurt and add it to the chaat
Add some fresh cilantro and garnish the chaat with sev

Sundal Chat = Yummy Goodness!

Notes:
Sev: Made with chick peas flour. They are thinly fried noodles that are broken into smaller pieces
Dal: Dried pulses, which include lentils, beans, and peas
Tadka: Tempering of whole spices and it is commonly used in Indian cooking
Cilantro Mint Chutney: I usually use a magic bullet to make chutney. Add equal parts of cilantro and mint into the blender. Add some green chillies and garlic cloves. Blend the ingredients with water and add lime juice. If the chutney is too spicy, I like to add honey. Add salt if needed.