Chaat and Indian street food
Crunchy, tangy, spicy and sweet all at once, chaat is what people queue for at roadside stalls in Mumbai, Delhi and Lahore. With a few key ingredients you can recreate it at home. For pani… 5 Products
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Chaat and Indian street food
Crunchy, tangy, spicy and sweet all at once, chaat is what people queue for at roadside stalls in Mumbai, Delhi and Lahore. With a few key ingredients you can recreate it at home. For pani puri (also called gol gappa or phuchka) there are ready-made Haldiram's shells and gol gappa to fry yourself; for bhel puri we stock Bhel Mix and Bhel Puri, and for a snack plate there are mini samosas plus Crown's frozen Punjabi samosas.
Seasoning is what makes chaat taste like chaat. Shan Chaat Masala adds that sour, salty kick; Shan Fruit Chaat Masala turns a bowl of chopped fruit into an Iftar favourite; and TRS Black Salt (kala namak) gives pani its unmistakable, slightly sulphurous savour.
Build the chutney on tamarind (imli), finish with crunchy sev and bhujia, and use puffed rice for a Kolkata-style jhal muri. A tin of chickpeas turns any of these into a filling chana chaat.
Pani puri for four
- Pani: blend a handful each of mint and coriander with 1–2 green chillies, 1 tsp chaat masala, ½ tsp black salt, 1 tbsp tamarind paste and 1 litre of cold water. Chill well.
- Filling: mash 3 boiled potatoes and mix with cooked chickpeas, finely chopped red onion, salt and roasted ground cumin.
- Puris: allow about 8–10 per person. If you bought fry-at-home gol gappa, puff them in hot oil first.
- Serve: crack a small hole in the top, spoon in filling, dunk in pani and eat in one bite.
For bhel puri, mix everything at the very last moment or it goes soggy. A sweet date and tamarind chutney is easy with our dates, and you'll find fresh herbs in coriander, mint and chilli.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between pani puri, gol gappa and phuchka?
They're essentially the same street snack under different regional names: pani puri in Mumbai, gol gappa in North India and Pakistan, phuchka in Bengal. The fillings and how sour or fiery the spiced water is vary from place to place.
What is chaat masala and what do I use it on?
Chaat masala is a tangy, salty spice blend, typically made with amchur (dried mango powder), black salt, cumin and chilli. Sprinkle it over fruit salad, chana chaat, chips, raita or samosas – anywhere you want a bright, zesty finish.
Why does black salt smell of eggs?
Kala namak contains naturally occurring sulphur compounds, which give it a faintly eggy aroma. In pani, chaat or raita that note is exactly what creates the authentic street-food taste. A small pinch goes a long way.
How do I keep the puris crisp?
Store the shells in an airtight tin and fill them only just before eating. If they've softened, refresh them in the oven at 150 °C for 2–3 minutes and let them cool; they'll crisp up again nicely.