Black Channa Chaat

There are some dishes that you eat in life that scream nostalgia. The preparation, the smells surrounding it, and the sensory experience that you have while consuming it takes you to a special place. For me black channa chaat always takes me to Ramadan at my mother’s house in Dubai.

As I take my first bite of it I can almost smell the potato fritters frying, the sounds of family friends laughing and the bustle of the busy kitchen before Iftar time. Ammi (my mama) hard at work pulling out the prepared iftari (evening meal) from the fridge for everyone to enjoy as they open their fasts.

Channa chaat offers a sense of home, a reminder of times gone past, and symbolises for me growing up and embracing the role of the mama myself. Now responsible for those fasting in my home during the holy month of Ramadan.

Points to Note

I am not an instant pot cook, I grew up in a household that does not have a pressure cooker so I usually slow cook my channas on the stovetop. You can always use the instant pot, pressure cook, or use canned based on your preference. If going the slow cooking route then do bear in mind that it will take a few hours and patience is key.

This recipe calls for black channas but white chickpeas can easily be used to replace and create another version of this dish.

The veggies that I have used are as per my preference, you can always add more variety. Like green chillies, chopped mint, fresh dill; this is really a dish that is yours to own.

I love to combine tamarind and lemon, but if you feel that’s a little too sharp for you, you can simply stick to the tamarind sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup black channa (you can also use white chickpeas). Washed and soaked overnight with 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Boil until soft and set aside.
2 medium potatoes boiled and diced
1 medium tomato diced
2 spring onions diced
1 medium red onion diced
2 tbsp diced fresh coriander
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp imli (tamarind) paste
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp chaat masala pwd
1 tsp red chilli flakes

Method

Prep all ingredients by boiling the channa and potatoes, and chopping up the veggies.
Assemble all ingredients including the channa, veggies, spices, tamarind paste and lemon juice.
Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until serving.
Garnish with green chillies as per your preference and enjoy!