It was along Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, the city of roses, and the Indian city in which I was born and would grow up visiting and loving. Vendors roamed lakeside selling their delicious morsels in cone-shaped newspapers. I was forbidden to eat street food by my grandmother, who was rightly afraid that my Americanized tummy would not be able to handle it. No matter that she knew what was good for me, I knew what my taste buds craved. My cousins and I were determined as we roamed, eating along the way and indulging in our beloved chaat.
Loaded with meaning, chaat refers to the category of street food that North Indians live for — it's deliciously addictive. So delicious it makes you want to lick your fingers clean, another meaning of the word chaat — to lick, the way a cat licks up milk. While making all of the components for these small plates is complicated, with some planning, it can actually be easier than you think. The key is to add the right components, including chaat masala (the spice blend to make chaat successfully) and tamarind chutney, both of which we sell right here on Indian As Apple Pie!
[[ recipeID=recipe-2m726vcnx, title=Indian Street Food: Chunky Chaat ]]
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by Anupy Singla, Indian As Apple Pie
Servings:
Keywords: Punjabi, Indian Recipes, Street Food, Chaat, Potatoes
* Use any beans or lentils. But the black chickpeas are traditional.
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Anupy
April 03, 2025
Thank you so much. It’s amazing the memories that food invokes. That lake. The paddle boats. The fish that jumped up and ate my cousin’s handkerchief that fell in the water – I promise I am not making that up! It’s seared in my memory. Keep making those food memories. xoxo Anupy