Chaat

[Gypsy Boy]

I'm a newbie here and to Indian cooking in general (though not, thankfully, to eating it!) One of the delights I've discovered, thanks to living in Chicago and being close to the Indian/Pakistani community on Devon Avenue, is chaat. But my various cookbooks tend to mention it in passing. Recipes are hard to come by, although plentiful on the web (where I am generally unsure of their provenance, authenticity, etc.). I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a book (cookbook or otherwise) that focuses on these wonderful snacks and their apparently numberless variations.

[FaustianBargain]

I dont know any book on it but having recently indugled shamelessly on chaat, i think it will be a great idea for replacing 'fast food'..this is truly fast food and not that artery clogging...yea..i just saw supersize me...you can supersize chaat and it wont kill you.

I'm a newbie here and to Indian cooking in general (though not, thankfully, to eating it!)  One of the delights I've discovered, thanks to living in Chicago and being close to the Indian/Pakistani community on Devon Avenue, is chaat.  But my various cookbooks tend to mention it in passing.  Recipes are hard to come by, although plentiful on the web (where I am generally unsure of their provenance, authenticity, etc.).  I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a book (cookbook or otherwise) that focuses on these wonderful snacks and their apparently numberless variations.

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[BBhasin]

go to tarladalal.com

Touted as India's #1 cookry Author, she has a book titled CHAAT which has what you are looking for.

The book is inexpensive but the shipping was heavy so it might be a good idea to bundle a few more in the same shipping.

Lalitha, there is nothing shameless about indulging in chaat. When I visit Haldirams in Delhi with my friends they always wonder if I am starving in the US.

[Monica Bhide]

Also do a quick search on this forum and the Economic Times (of India) website and you will find this topic has been covered many times... its a forum favorite

[FaustianBargain]

Also do a quick search on this forum and the Economic Times (of India) website and you will find this topic has been covered many times... its a forum favorite

how would you actually define chaat? the ingredients too..

btw...congrats on that bon appetite article...

[rajsuman]

In the TV series accompanying his cookbook 'Floyd's India', Keith Floyd makes a yummy chaat with puffed rice, imli ki chutney etc. and then....wait for it....advises putting it in the fridge for half an hour before eating it! Is a new, trendy way of eating chaat that I am not aware of? Who sets chaat, especially that made with puffed rice, aside for half an hour before eating it?

Suman

[Episure]

In the TV series accompanying his cookbook 'Floyd's India',  Keith Floyd makes a yummy chaat with puffed rice, imli ki chutney etc. and then....wait for it....advises putting it in the  fridge for half an hour before eating it!  Is a new, trendy way of eating chaat that I am not aware of? Who sets chaat, especially that made with puffed rice, aside for half an hour before eating it?

Suman

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That will just render it to a mush, a pudding. That's why you must never have a take away chat. Keith Floyd was probably waiting to have a quick one(drink) at that time.

[Geetha]

I had once been to a trip to Jaipu Rajasthan, and on the way our teacher/guide took us to a road side restaurant where they sold Kachori's, I want to describe it to you and maybe find our how or ask a hint of how possibly it could have been made. Anyone.. who knows here tell me

It was dome shaped, consider the serving dome that are used in restaurants to cover the plates, add the cover and plate together, well it was of that shape and configuration, with a layer of coating inside of the dome shaped and on the plate too. Now in between space was not filled with any thing as far as I remember it to be steam only and almost steamed my mouth with the result that I couldn't much taste the remaining of the dish afterwards. We had imli chutney or khatta mitha, with it to go.

I think the filling was some dal not masoor or may be masoor-ish but with skin on.. I don't know what dal it might have been. At that age and even now, I have a meagre knowledge of dals, I cannot keep themand their names in all languages, in my mind I know I've never tried to either.

Would any of you know how to make that appear like such and not leave a trace of any thing in mid space of dome and the plate of Kachori, I mean absence of filling in the center space of it. The surprising thing to me is how the crust was so crisp and thick too unlike a poori. How does such a thing so thick puff up and maintain its shape.

Even as I write I think I have the answer.. well it is the poori right and focourse I had it when it was made, instantly so it stuck to its shape well maybe had it cooled it would not have been so. Okay.

Does any one have any explanations too..

[rajsuman]

The filling varies, but the dal usually used is urad dal. The crust is made crisp by rubbing a suitable fat into the flour and then controlling the temp carefully while frying.