It’s the weekend and with festivities in full swing, this week’s dinner calls for some extra celebrations. Dining options that are away from the ordinary. Something zesty, that will bring the whole family and your closest friends together. So we have for you a selection of mouth-watering chaats – spicy, tangy, sweet, cool, crunchy – this list covers it all. Making a medley of flavours that of some of the most loved chaats from across the country. There’s no better way that a festival to celebrate with a party that centres around food!
Get your staples ready: Boiled Potatoes, Homemade Sproutsare great to add to most chaat dishes. The other essentials are this "Meetha" Date & Tamarind Chutney and this Green Dhaniya Pudina Chutney.
If you're feeling particularly enthusiastic and want to make your puris from scratch too, here is how you can make Flat Puris or Papdi, Round Puchkas or Golgappas, and Sev right in your kitchen.
You could just as well get the store-bought varieties of these if you're pinched for time, or prefer to focus on the assembly of the chaat. And asalways, select as many options as you want from the list below, but try and ensure that it has the basics covered – a crunchy beginning, a wholesome dish for mains and something sweet to end it.
Drinks & Appetisers
Refreshing coolers in surprising flavours, this Red Wine Sangria and Fresh Ginger Lemonade are a perfect drink to start things off at your chaat party. Savour this crunchy Chinese Bhel with perfectly balanced tangy, sweet and sour flavours, along with a classic Sev Puri. You could also add a cooling, comforting platter of Dahi Vada, made of non-fried vadas and an unusual Shikhampuri Kebab
Wholesome Chaats
For the main part of this party we have a selection of chaats from places in India most known for them! Ghugni comes from Calcutta, and is a delicious curry of dried peas, served with puffed rice, chopped onions and sweet chutney drizzled over it. Aloo Tikki, from North India is typically served drenched in a spicy curry of chick-peas, seasoned with a medley of chutneys and topped with chopped onions and sev.
Mumbai is quite the chaat central for India and it's hard to omit the obvious classics from this iconic city. Ragda Patties, Pav Bhaji and Vada Pav bring together the best combination of potatoes and bread, served up in three unique ways. And then there's a good old Bhel Puri, a salad of puffed rice spiced with chutneys, raw onions and sev which makes from a crunchy, sweet-sour-spicy snack to have on the side.
Desserts
Some festive, Indian options for desserts this time include rich, indulgent and totally delicious sweets from around the country. There is Angoori Rasmalai, Malpua with Rabri and a Moong Dal Halwa for those who might want to reach for a low calorie option.
