Masala Chana Chaat - A Classic Indian Street Food Recipe For Vegetarians (2024)

FAQs

What is Chana Chaat made of? ›

Chana Chaat is a popular Indian snack where cooked chickpeas are tossed with fresh cut onions, tomatoes, tamarind chutney, ground aromatic spices and herbs. This easy to make Chana Chaat is spicy, slightly sour and sweet with a punch of so many flavors and textures.

Kala Chana Chaat is healthy, filling, rich in protein as well as fibre and is a great meal for weight-loss diet as well.

The black salt gives the chaat masala its distinct sulfurous smell and taste. Although it's an essential ingredient of chaat masala, it's never used in garam masala. Most Indian spice blends must be cooked to release their flavor. But we can consume chaat masala both uncooked or cooked.

Why It Works. Toasting the spices individually draws out the perfect aroma and flavor from each. Tamarind powder and green mango powder together add layers of mouth-puckering complexity. Kala namak (Himalayan black salt) provides the masala with its classic funky aroma.

The word “chaat” means lick in Hindi and “masala” is the general term used for any spice blend. Chaat masala is a dry spice mix that is complex and transcendent to say the least.

Pregnant women should avoid consuming chana dal. Consuming chana dal in excess can cause stomach upset. Women who breastfeed their kid should also avoid eating chana dal in excess. Because this can cause gas problems for the mother and the baby.

Chaat masala

According to Dr Dhir, chaat masala and other such seasoning masalas often come with a high content of salt. The sodium in salt can impact the kidneys and lead to water retention in our bodies. This extra stored water raises BP and puts a strain on kidneys, arteries, heart, and brain.

Yes, we can eat roasted chana daily in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Roasted chana (chickpeas) is a good protein, fibre, and essential nutrients source. However, like any food, it's important not to overconsume. Variety in your diet is key to getting a wide range of nutrients from different sources.

Chaat masala's funky smell is due to a combo of kala namak (black salt) and hing (asafetida) in the seasoning. Kala namak is a pinkish sulfuric salt that smells kind of like rotten eggs if you smell it on its own. In addition, the spice blend has hing which has its own funky pungent smell that it also contributes.

Chat masala is used to add sour or tangy flavor. So you can substitute it with Imli powder/Amchoor powder or even lemon juice for chat masala . If you have black pepper , cumin , amchoor powder , chili powder , salt , then you can mix it in appropriate ratio and have your own chat masala .

Why does chaat masala smell like eggs? ›

Chaat masala, a South Asian spice blend, is dependent upon black salt for its characteristic sulfurous egg-like aroma. Those who are not accustomed to black salt often describe the smell as resembling flatulence. Black salt is sometimes used sparingly as a topping for fruits or snacks in North India and Pakistan.

They are a rich source of minerals and vitamins and are high in fibre, according to medicalnewstoday.com. A source of antioxidants, eating low-calorie fruits can help avert risks of diabetes, inflammation, heart issues, etc. As such, fruits are enjoyed whole, pre-cut, with chaat masala, and even salt or sugar.

Chaat masala, also spelled chat masala, is a powdered spice mix, or masala, originating from the Indian subcontinent, typically used to add flavor to chaat. It typically consists of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt (often black salt), black pepper, asafoetida, and chili powder.

Chaat Masala Substitute

If a recipe calls for chaat masala and you don't have any on hand, try adding dry mango powder, dried pomegranate powder, or black salt if you have them. Depending on the recipe, you can probably get away with using garam masala in place of it (Example: Aloo ki Tikki).

Papri chaat (or papdi chaat) is crispy fried-dough wafers served with typical chaat ingredients such as chickpeas, boiled potatoes, yogurt sauce, and tamarind and coriander chutneys; it may also contain pomegranate seeds and sev (noodles made from fried gram flour).

Chana Dal Peas, also known as "Bengal gram," are pulses derived from the desi chickpea, a small, dark legume that is cultivated mostly in the Middle East. It is different from the typical chickpea or garbanzo bean in that it is hulled and split, younger, smaller and sweeter.

Specifically, chana dal is made from a variety of chickpeas known as Bengal dram, made using a slow cooking technique with steam called dum pukht. Chana dal can be used in numerous ways, including through boiling, roasting, and soaking.

Gram flour or besan is a pulse flour made from chana dal or chickpea flour (split Bengal gram) or brown/kaala chana, a chickpea. It is a staple ingredient in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, including Indian, Bangladeshi, Burmese, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Caribbean cuisines.