Chutneys for Chaat

Many people feel that Chaat is junk food but I do not fully agree with this thought. The puris & the sev used is deep fried but the chutneys & the fillings used are healthy as it is free from cooking oil. It also has fibre, vitamins, proteins.The ingredients used in the various chutneys are valued in Ayurveda & helps in bringing about a balance in vata, pitta & kapha.

It is important & necessary to add the right amount of punch, zing & tang to the “Chaat.” To achieve this you need to have some lovely chutneys to top it with. To relish & savour the delectable varieties of Indian Chaat & enhance the flavor, I would like to present you with these three essential chutneys which will give you a great Chaat experience.. J

Sweet Tamarind Date Chutney (Meethi Imli Khajur Chutney)

Just a dash of this sweet-tart chutney, spread over chaat raises the flavor by leaps & bounds. This zesty & tangy dip adds a new dimension to any fried Indian snacks & oomph to your meal too.

Ingredients :

50 gms. Dates

100 gms. Tamarind

200 gms. Jaggery

1 litre Water

Dry Roast & Grind to a fine powder :

1 large Cinnamon Stick

1 tbsp. Cumin Seeds

2 Black Cardamoms

1 tbsp. Coriander Seeds

½ tsp. Peppercorns

3-4 Cloves

1tsp. Saunth (dry Ginger Powder)

1 tsp. fresh Ginger (grated or paste)

1 tsp. Rock Salt

For the sweet chutney:

Clean & wash dates & tamarind.

In a deep pan boil dates, tamarind & jaggery in one litre of water for about 5mins.

Strain the water & reserve for further use.

Let the residue cool & then discard stones & seeds from the dates & tamarind.

Put the dates, tamarind & one cup of the strained mixture & in the mixie & blend till smooth.

Strain again to separate fibres.

Mix the smooth puree along with the remaining reserved liquid in a deep pan.

Sieve the ground spice fine powder & add to the tamarind puree along with rock salt, saunth, fresh ginger paste & salt. Stir well.

Bring to a boil & let it simmer for about 10 mins. or until the chutney thickens a little. Cool thoroughly to get thick sweet tamarind chutney/meethi imli chutney.

Use to prepare various chaats or as a dip.

Spicy Green Chutney (Hari Pudina Dhania Chutney) :

The fresh herbs used brings in a lot of freshness to the chaat. Ayurveda emphasizes the medicinal value of mint & coriander in daily healthy cooking. This chutney is zesty & adds punch in your chaat.

Ingredients :

2 bunches fresh Coriander

1 small bunch fresh Mint

25 gms. fresh Ginger

½ tsp. Cumin Seeds

5-10 fresh Green Chillies

Water as required

Salt to taste

Method :

Pick coriander & mint leaves. If the coriander is tender, retain stems & discard roots. Wash both the leaves thoroughly.

Lightly scrape the ginger; chop roughly.

Discard stems & seeds if you like it less spicy.

You may reduce the number of chillies if you like it low on spice.

Grind together all the above green chutney ingredients to a thick & smooth paste.

Red Garlic Chutney (Teekhi Lal Lehsun Chutney) : (optional)

Garlic aids digestion & has innumerable medicinal qualities. This chutney is for all those who love & enjoy the flavor of garlic.

For this chutney, peel & keep ready cloves of 3 medium garlic pods. Add about 20 red dry chillies with seeds & stems removed. Mix in one & a half cups of water soak till chillies soften & grind to a smooth paste. Add more water to dilute if required & salt to taste.