A beginner’s guide to chaat
What chaat is, where the name comes from, what goes into it, some of the common types, and how to order. Plus our two chaats.
Chaat is a family of Indian snacks based on fried dough, typically served as an hors d’oeuvre or at roadside carts. Common elements include yoghurt, chopped onions and coriander, sev and chaat masala, with a dried ginger and tamarind sauce in the original version. Here is what is in it and how to order.
Where the name comes from
Wikipedia describes chaat as a family of fried dough snacks that originated in India, typically served as an hors d’oeuvre or at roadside carts, from stalls or food carts across South Asia. It says chaat has its origins in Uttar Pradesh and has become popular in the rest of South Asia.
The word is usually linked to “to lick”. Wikipedia says it derives from the Indian word cāṭ, meaning tasting or a delicacy, which comes from cāṭnā, to lick, “as in licking one’s fingers while eating”.
The parts of a chaat
Wikipedia says all chaat variants are based on fried dough. The original chaat, it says, is a mixture of potato pieces, crisp fried bread, dahi vada or dahi bhalla, gram or chickpeas and tangy-salty spices, with sour Indian chilli and saunth (a dried ginger and tamarind sauce), fresh green coriander leaves and yoghurt for garnish.
It also lists the elements that the variants have in common:
- Dahi. Yoghurt.
- Onions and coriander. Chopped.
- Sev. Thin, dried, yellow, salty noodles.
- Chaat masala. The spice blend sprinkled over chaat. Wikipedia says it typically consists of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, kala namak (Himalayan black rock salt), coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper and red pepper.
The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl.
Common types of chaat
Wikipedia lists a long run of variants. A few that are useful to know:
- Samosa chaat. A samosa is broken into pieces, with green and sweet chutney added.
- Papri chaat. It contains fried patties called papri as an extra ingredient.
- Alu tikki chaat. Wikipedia lists alu tikki among the common variants.
- Bhelpuri. A chaat made with puffed rice.
- Dabeli. Included in the same list, and described as a sweet and sour burger made with potatoes, sev, groundnut and pomegranate. We tell its story in what is dabeli.
The list also includes panipuri, dahi puri, dahi vada and sev puri, among many others.
When you read a chaat description on a menu, look for the main ingredient first, then the chutneys, yoghurt and sev. Our Avocado chaat, for example, is described as fresh avocado layered with tangy chutneys, sev, herbs and bold street-style spices, so you can see straight away what the main ingredient is.
Eating it when it arrives
Wikipedia describes chaat as typically served at roadside carts, from stalls or food carts. Our advice is plain. Eat it as soon as it reaches the table, while the crisp parts are still crisp under the yoghurt and chutneys. Keep the plate in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.
Chaat at Nukkad
We have two chaats on the menu, and they are a good place to start. Both descriptions below are the ones on our menu.
- Nukkad ki chaat, £7.50. Our house chaat: crispy samosa, golden aloo tikki and papdi on a bed of fresh salad, finished with yoghurt and our signature chutneys.
- Avocado chaat, £8. Fresh avocado layered with tangy chutneys, sev, herbs and bold street-style spices.
Nukkad ki chaat brings samosa, aloo tikki and papdi together on one plate, so it draws on three of the variants above. It is also named for the nukkad, the Indian street corner that gives our café its name.
How to eat it
There is no wrong way to eat chaat, but a few habits help.
- Eat it as soon as it arrives. Do not leave it sitting while the rest of the table catches up.
- Get a bit of everything. Try to scoop up some base, some potato, some yoghurt and some chutney in each bite.
- Share it. Order a few plates and share them across the table.
- Order more than one. If you are curious about the differences, try both of our chaats side by side.
You can see the full range of Indian street food we serve on our Indian street food in Glasgow page, browse everything on the menu, and then come and find us at 51 Bell Street, Merchant City.