Aloo Chana Chaat / Potato Chickpea Salad

Aloo chana chaat is one of the most mouthwatering street foods of North India. This lip-smacking chaat is made by tossing boiled chickpeas and potatoes with flavorful chutneys, vegetables, and spice powders. The best part is that this chaat is oil-free, is quick to whip up and can also be served as a flavorful salad. It is refreshing, and a perfect blend of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors. Aloo chana chaat is filling, provides proteins and carbohydrates and can be served as a snack or side dish or as a light meal.       

A chaat is a tongue-tickling snack, and a popular Indian street food. Chaat originated in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, however, it has gained popularity in the rest of the Indian subcontinent. The word chaat means to lick in Hindi, so basically, a chaat is a preparation which is finger-licking good. We Indians can enjoy it any time of the day. The delicious Dates and Tamarind Chutney and the Spicy green chutney along with some spice powders contribute to the spicy tangy and sweet flavors of a chaat. I usually keep these chutneys handy in my refrigerator. If you do not have them in stock, I would suggest you make them one day before you intend to make the chat to save time.

If you have boiled chickpeas ready at hand, making this aloo chana chaat is a breeze. If serving this chaat as a salad, you may add grated carrots, beetroots, and cucumber as well and skip adding Sev. You may add crushed papadi to this chaat to add crispiness or top it with spiced or sweetened yogurt to add variation. So let's get started.

Preparation Time: 6-8 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Chickpea / Garbanzo beans / Kabuli Chana
• 2 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (optional)
• Few sprigs of coriander, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup Sev
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon Green Chutney or as per taste
• 1 -2 tablespoon Khajoor Imli Chutney / Dates and Tamarind chutney
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black salt 

Method:

1. Soak the garbanzo beans in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight. The beans will be double in size after soaking time. Drain, rinse well and pressure cook them in fresh water until they are soft but not mushy. Also, boil the potatoes. I cooked the beans and potatoes for 2 whistles in different containers in a pressure cooker at the same time. Simmer for another 5 minutes after 2 whistles and put off the flame. Peel and cube the boiled potatoes on cooling. In a deep mixing bowl, transfer the boiled chana and cubed potatoes. Mix well. 

2. To it add the vegetables (chopped onion, tomato, coriander), Green Chutney, Dates and Tamarind Chutney, chaat masala, black salt, and lemon juice. Mix well. Do a taste test at this stage and adjust the seasonings as per your taste.

 3. Just before serving, top the chaat with sev, pomegranate seeds, and more chopped coriander. During summers, you can make this chaat ahead of time and keep it chilled until serving time.

Recipe Notes:

• I have not added chopped green chilies or red chili powder as I intended to serve the chaat to my little one. You may adjust the spice levels as per your taste.
• If serving this chaat as a salad, you may add grated carrots, beetroots, and cucumber as well and skip adding sev.
• You can add crushed papdis to this chaat, to make it aloo chana papdi chaat, another lip-smacking street food. 
• You can also top the chaat with spiced or sweetened yogurt to add variation.
• Making chutneys one day before making chaat, saves a lot of time.
• During the summer season, you can make this chaat ahead of time and keep it chilled until serving time.
• Aloo chana chaat can be served as a snack, side dish, a light meal or as a salad.

Sending this mouthwatering Aloo Chana Chaat to #168th #FoodieMondayBloghop with #ChaatpartyforDiwali as the theme for the week. Do check out the recipes of my fellow bloggers as well for some wonderful ideas on the theme.

                                            

I hope you like the post and some of you would love to give this recipe a try. If you ever try it, feel free to share your feedback with us in the comment section below.  Follow us on #Facebook  #Instagram ,  #Twitter and #Google+  for more recipes and new updates. 

For more chaat recipes from my blog, do check out the following posts from my blog.

• Dahi Papdi Chaat

                           

• Kutchi Dabeli

                            

• Sweet Corn Chaat

                              

• Masala Papad

                                      

• Missal Paav

                             

• Sweet Potato Chaat /Shakarkandi Ki Chaat

                             

• Kale Chane Ki Chaat

                             

• Corn Bhel