We at Ferns’ believe that Indian food is the soul of its culture. India is super wealthy when it comes to the authenticity of the food and a wide variety of finger-licking dishes. One such amazing food is Indian street food chaat.

Indian chaat has made great history for ages, Indians have been indulging in the soothing taste of its chaat items. Samosas, kachori, ragda puri, Dahi vada, etc. are tasty as well as refreshing. Eating Indian street food chaat might fill your tummy but not your taste buds!

Here are some amazing facts about Indian Street Food Chaat:

1. Oldest Indian chaat item is Dahi Vada! In KT Achaya’s book A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food, he mentioned in detail how vadas were first mentioned in the Sutra literature of 500 BC.
2. Mânasollasa, an ancient book by Someshvara III mentions Papdi as Purika
3. Black pepper also known as Sendha Namak has been a common ingredient since the Mahabharta era!
4. It is believed that the word Chaat actually comes from the Hindi word Chaat (चाट) which means ‘to lick’.
5. The monthly turnover of street food hawkers in the year 2020 was believed to be Rs 2.88 lakh crore
6. There are more than 300 Indian street food chaat recipes

Health benefits of street food chaat:

Though you might have heard that any form of street food is not good for your health, the sad reality is that the poor quality offered by some street food hawkers has built this understanding. The authentic Indian chaat made with love and care is something everyone should try out. Indian chaat dishes are actually healthy and we are going to tell you how.

1. Chaat masala, the king ingredient of any Indian street food chaat recipe, is rich in iron and calcium as it involves amchoor powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, black salt, hing, etc.
2. Chickpea (known as chana) is super healthy for the human body as it is rich in plant protein, packed with nutrients, promotes brain health, keeps your tummy full for a longer time, super-rich in proteins, and whatnot! Many professional nutritionists suggest eating chickpeas regularly.
3. Curd, another important ingredient in most Indian chaat dishes plays a great role in digesting food. Curd has always been an important part of Authentic Indian Food Recipes as it reduces excess body heat, helps in digestion, and keeps your skin healthy.
4. Mint is often used in almost all types of Indian chaat recipes as it brings in the spicy & tangy flavor. Mint is extremely helpful for acidity problems and is also known for boosting brain functioning.
5. The common and most loved chutney in every chaat item in India is the Sweet and Sour Chutney (Khatti Mithi Chutney). This chutney is made of 2 main ingredients; dates and tamarind. Dates improve bone health, strengthen immunity, and improve brain and heart health. Tamarind on the other hand is a rich source of magnesium and Vitamin D. Hence, it is known for supporting muscle and nerve function.

Now that we have enough information about Indian street food chaat and its health benefits, let’s check out some amazing Indian chaat recipes. We have listed down some easy-to-prepare Indian chaat recipes that can be your savior when guests surprise you! You can follow these recipes whenever you want.

4 Easy Indian Chaat Recipes:

1. Dahi Vada Recipe

As mentioned above, Dahi Vada is the most ancient Indian chaat. Let’s check out its simple recipe:

• Soak 1 cup urad dal in water in a bowl for 6 hours.
• Rinse out the excess water and grind the dal gradually.
• Keep adding a little water while grinding if the paste is too thick.
• Once you get a good thick (not too thick & not too watery), add some salt & ginger-chilli paste.
• Beat the mixture for 4-5 minutes.
• Heat some oil in a pan and start frying the vadas till you get golden brown color.
• Take 2 bowls of thick curd, add salt & sugar, and beat the curd for a while.
• Serve 3-4 vadas in a serving bowl and add the curd to it till all the vadas are fully covered with curd.
• Top it with Date & Tamarind Chutney and some coriander.

2. Samosa Recipe

Hot samosas or samosa chaat, these yummy triangles are loved all over India and are even popular out of India. Let’s check out Samosa Recipe which is super easy to follow.

• Take 2 cups of maida and add some salt & ajwain to it.
• Mix it well and prepare a dough.
• Let your dough rest for a while.
• Boil 2-3 large potatoes & green peas and let them cool.
• Peel off & smash those potatoes & green peas.
• Take some oil in a frying pan and add 1 small spoonful of jeera, curry leaves, & a pinch of hing.
• Add the smashed potatoes & green peas.
• Then add ½ teaspoon haldi, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon garam masala.
• Fry everything well and top it with chopped coriander leaves.
• Turn off the gas once the filling is cooked properly.
• Let it cool.
• Prepare a semicircle and add the filling of potatoes to it.
• Give it the shape of a samosa by making a cone & sealing that cone’s open part.
• Deep fry all the samosas.
• Serve with Date & Tamarind Chutney.

3. Mumbai Bhel Recipe

Bhel is another easy to prepare & tasty Indian chaat recipe. Let’s get started.

• Take 2 medium-sized potatoes & boil them.
• Let those boiled potatoes rest aside & cool.
• To prepare green (spicy chutney), grind ½ bowl of mint leaves, ½ bowl of coriander leaves, 6-7 chilies, salt, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Add some water if the paste is too thick.
• Take 2 large bowls of puffed rice, and add chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped boiled potatoes, and a small number of sprouts (optional).
• Add green chutney along with Date & Tamarind Chutney and your Bhel is ready!

Notice one common ingredient in all the Indian street food chaat recipes? It is the Date and Tamarind Chutney. Instead of spending hours preparing the Date and Tamarind Chutney from scratch, simply order Ferns’ Date and Tamarind Chutney and bring more ease to your Indian chaat recipes.

Satiate in the delightful taste of Indian chaat dishes and thank us later. Remember, India is full of flavors and Ferns’ makes sure you indulge in every flavor with ease!