Spicy and tangy chickpeas and potatoes tossed in onions and tomatoes with lemon juice and tamarind. Aloo Channa Chaat is an all-time favorite food for a snack, party, or Ramadan.
There are many different versions of Channa Chaat. There is an uncooked version, which simply involves tossing all the ingredients together, and then there is the cooked version where the ingredients are slightly stir-fried. Both are delicious, but my recipe is the cooked version. This is how my mum makes it, and it’s the version I like the most.
What is Chaat ?
If you’ve never had chaat before, you’re in for a treat! It’s basically the ultimate street food—a perfect mix of sweet, savory, tangy, and crunchy flavors all in one bowl.
Most chaats start with a base of chickpeas, potatoes, or even crushed samosas. From there, it’s all about the layers:
- The Sauces: Cooling yogurt, tangy tamarind chutney, and spicy green chutney.
- The Crunch: A handful of crispy papri or sev on top is a must!
While this recipe uses white chickpeas, you can also use brown chickpeas (sometimes called kala chana
There is so much of variety when it comes to chaat. The following are the most common ones:
- Aloo Chaat- with crisp potatoes and chutney
- Papri chaat – papri is a crisp flaky pastry served with chickpeas, potatoes and chutneys.
- Samosa chaat – smashed samosa topped with chickpea masala, chutneys and onions etc.
- Palak Pata Chaat – battered and fried crispy spinach leaves, topped with yoghurt, chutneys and onion.
Ingredients For Aloo Channa Chaat
Chickpeas – boiled chickpeas. You can use tinned chickpeas as well. If you are using raw chickpeas, soak them overnight. Boil them with little bit of salt until fully cooked.
Potatoes: Boil potatoes with skin. Remove the skin and chop them into chunks.
Onions and Tomatoes: they are used as base for preparing masala for this recipe.
Chaat Masala: Chaat masala is a blend of various spices with spicy and little tangy flavour. It’s easily available in Indian grocery stores.
Tamarind Chutney (Imli): Tamarind chutney brings the whole chaat together. You can use a store-bought or make your own using my recipe for Tamarind Chutney
Lemon Juice – use freshly squeezed lemon.
Green Chilli – sliced green chilli. You can remove the seeds to reduce the heat.
Spices – you will need red chilli powder, chilli flakes, turmeric, cumin seeds and salt.
How to make Aloo Channa Chaat
In a pot heat little oil and sauté sliced onions. Add all the spices and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes and green chilli. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes soften.
Add boiled chickpeas and potatoes. Toss them to mix. Add chaat masala, lemon juice and tamarind chutney. Toss again to ensure everything has mixed well.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with some fresh cilantro/coriander or mint.
Watch How To Make Aloo Channa Chaat
Can You Make Aloo Channa Chaat Ahead?
Aloo Channa Chaat can be made ahead and stored in fridge for upto 2-3 days. To serve, heat it in microwave for 2 minutes.
However, it’s a not suitable for freezing.
Other Snacks to Try
Punjabi Samosa
Palak Pata Chaat
Dahi Baray
Dahi Phulki
Papri Chaat
Aloo Channa Chaat
Ingredients
- 3 cups Boiled Chickpeas See Notes
- 2 Medium Potatoes Boiled and cubed See Notes
- 1 Small Onion
- 1 Medium Tomato
- 1 Small Green Chilli
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- ⅓ tsp Chilli Flakes
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Chaat masala
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 4 tbsp Tamarind Chutney
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Cilantro/Coriander or Mint
Instructions
- Prepare chickpeas. If you are using tinned chickpeas, drain them and rinse them. If you are using raw chickpeas boil them ( See Notes)
- Boil potatoes until are cooked through. Remove skin and cube them into small pieces.
- In a pot heat oil and add sliced onions. Saute them and then add cumin seeds. Add tomatoes and green chilli followed by red chilli, chilli flakes and turmeric. Mix for a minute and then cover it. Cook on low heat until tomatoes have softened.
- Add chickpeas and potatoes followed by salt, chaat masala, lemon juice and tamarind chutney. Toss and mix gently.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or mint.Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can use tinned chickpeas. If you are using raw chickpeas, soak them overnight. Boil them with salt until cooked.
- Boil potatoes whole with skin. Once cooked remove the skin and chop them into cubes.
- You can use store bought Tamarind chutney. If you want to make your own follow my recipe for Tamarind Chutney – Sugar Spice & More (sugarspicenmore.com)
