The Ultimate Indian Appetizer: Deconstructed Samosa Papri Chaat

If you’re Indian, you likely know about chaat, also known as bhel. And, chances are you absolutely love it (I have yet to meet an Indian who doesn’t like chaat, so if you’re one of them, please send me a message immediately!). Chaat is, hands down, one of the most popular street food/vendor snacks in South Asia and there are countless combinations and varieties. If you’re not Indian, but you love all things Indian (like my husband Sean), you may have already tried it at an Indian restaurant or in someone’s house. It is as authentic as you can get when it comes to packing a medley of Indian flavors into one bite. If you typically order samosas, pakoras or onion bhajji at an Indian restaurant, the next time you’re out, look on the menu for chaat. Most places have it, and mostly Indians order it.

The proper definition of chaat is as follows: savoury snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or food carts in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. According to Wikipedia (chaat has its own entry, yes), with its origins in Uttar Pradesh, chaat has become immensely popular in the rest of South Asia. The word derives from Hindi cāṭ चाट (tasting, a delicacy), from cāṭnā चाटना (to lick), from Prakrit caṭṭei चट्टेइ (to devour with relish, eat noisily). I personally love anything I can “devour with relish and eat noisily” no matter what cuisine it is. In papri chaat, which is my favorite, papri refers to crisp fried dough wafers made from flour and oil and often served with boiled potatoes, boiled chick peas, chilis, yogurt and tamarind chutney and topped with chaat masala and ‘sev’.

Papri crisps, typically made with flour and oil and fried as thin crackers (Photo Source: ishopindian.com)

Here is my simple recipe for the way I enjoy homemade chaat the best — I call it a “Deconstructed Samosa Papri Chaat” which combines the best of a great samosa with the best of papri chaat.  I combine the crisp discs of papris, delicate sev (super thin fried noodles made of chickpea flour), finely chopped raw red onion, and fresh cilantro. I then top it with my homemade samosa filling (masala potatoes and sweet green peas), followed by generous dollops of tamarind-date sauce, mint chutney, and yogurt. What’s authentic about it? Chaat combines hallmark Indian flavors: sweet, salty, pungent, spicy all in one marvelous, memorable bite.

Sev adds a necessary crunch to any chaat — very thin noodles made of chickpea flour (Photo Source: ishopindian.com)

*If you can’t find an Indian grocer close by, just shop online like I do — Indian groceries are delivered to my door in no time. Lately I’ve been frequenting this place: ishopindian.com

Deconstructed Samosa Papri Chaat

Serves 8

Ingredients

• Two 14oz bags of prepared Papri crisps
• One 7oz bag of prepared Sev (I usually go for one by Bombay Magic that is called “Nylon Sev” made very finely)
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Big Apple Curry’s samosa filling (the only difference is I dice the potatoes, cook until tender (instead of mashing them) and proceed as per the recipe; you will have a generous amount of filling)
• Tamarind-date sauce (available at any Indian grocer)
• Mint chutney (available at any Indian grocer)
• Plain, whole milk yogurt (I love to use Stoneyfield’s Organic Whole Milk Plain Yogurt)

Preparation

1. Prepare the samosa filling and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the papri crisps, sev, red onion, and cilantro.
3. Arrange 8 small appetizer-sized plates or bowls and divide the papri chaat mixture between them and top with a generous serving of the samosa mixture.
4. Drizzle in this order: tamarind-date sauce, mint chutney, and yogurt.
5. Enjoy and repeat as many times as you like!