Masala Puri is a popular street style Chaat dish. This Karnataka style Chaat uses dried peas, lots of fresh veggies, green chutney, a sweet tamarind date chutney and some fried crunchy Pooris. Because it is so easy to make this for a crowd, this dish is a fantastic dish to take to a potluck or to serve at a gathering.
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Why this recipe works?
✓ This is a semi-homemade recipe. You can use store bought Pooris and sweet chutney to make this in a jiffy.
✓ This is vegan, has loads of veggies and protein.
✓ And if I did not manage to convince you with the above two reasons, here is one more- this is insanely delicious and makes a great potluck dish.
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Bangalore Style Chaat
There are many versions of this recipe and I have tasted a few as well. But this one is my favorite.
So, what is so special about this street style food? Well, the Bengaluru style has loads of peas, veggies and involves crumbling the Pooris.
Ingredients
Here is a rough list of all the stuff you need for this recipe.
✓Dried peas– I have used dried green peas here because I had them in plenty at home. You can always use dried white peas too.
✓Potatoes and carrots– Add texture and body to the gravy.
✓Onions, tomatoes etc are the basic flavor bringing factors here and cannot be substituted.
✓ Mint leaves are an absolute must while attempting this dish. It is that ingredient which makes or breaks this recipe.
✓ Black stone flower– Although this is not something added in all versions, I learned from Vidhya that it is a great flavor to include. This is optional but highly recommended.
✓ Fennel– The magic spice that elevates this dish to another level.
✓ Jaggery- While the addition of jaggery may seem like something irregular in a Chaat recipe, it is a very common habit in Karnataka cuisine to round off any savory dish with some jaggery. This does wonders to a dish. Also, jaggery balances tang, spice and salt like magic.
Recipe Notes
Use new dried peas. Anything sitting for longer than 2 months on a pantry shelf is considered old. And these older dried peas take longer to cook. If they do cook, they tend to have an unpleasant bite.
Hydrate the peas well– As with all beans and legumes, it is very important that you hydrate your beans for a good number of hours. This will speed up the cooking process and also ensure even cooking.
Making ahead
Prepare the mint chutney and the sweet chutney if making over the weekend and store it in clean sterilized jars. I have used store-bought Sweet chutney here. You can also try the same.
Soak the peas ahead, drain all the water used for soaking and freeze the soaked peas in a freezer safe bag. When you want to make this, thaw the peas by pouring hot water over them and proceed with the recipe.
Similarly, you can also air-fry the Pooris to reduce hands-on time. Or you can fry them and store them in an air tight box. Or better yet, simply buy readily available Pooris and proceed with the recipe.
Shelf life & Storage
The gravy keeps well for 2 days when stored in the refrigerator. The mint chutney keeps well for 4 days and the sweet chutney lasts up to a month if handled right.
You can also freeze leftover peas gravy in small portions. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours and then gently reheat.
Dietary specifications
This dish is vegan-friendly and is free from soy and nuts. If you are looking to make this recipe gluten free, skip the Pooris and enjoy just the gravy with its toppings and sauces. Make sure you buy gluten-free sweet chutney.
Method
Soaking the peas (hydrating)
Wash and soak the peas in enough water for 8 to 10 hours. When done, drain all the water used for soaking.
Pressure cooking the peas
Combine the soaked peas, carrot and potato in a pressure cooker with water. Add salt. Pressure cook for 5 whistles. Let pressure release naturally.
Check if the peas are cooked by squishing one between your fingers. It should be soft and mushy.
Mashing the peas
Drain the water used for cooking and reserve it for cooking the curry. There is no need to completely drain the peas. Set aside ½ the boiled potato and 1 small piece of the carrot because we will need this for the masala paste.
Now, go in with a ladle and gently mash the mixture. Set aside.
Making the Masala Paste
Combine cumin, pepper, cinnamon, mint, potato, Amchur powder and red chili powder in a blender jar. Set aside.
Heat a pan with oil. Add garlic and ginger. Fry till garlic becomes golden. Now, add the onions and fry till pink and soft. Add salt to speed up the cooking. Now, add fennel seeds and the black stone flower, if using, and mix well.
At this point, add the tomatoes and mix well. Next, add green chilis and continue to cook till tomatoes are slightly mushy.
Add this fried onion tomato mixture to the blender jar with the other ingredients. Allow the mixture to cool. When cool, grind to a smooth paste without adding any water.
Making the green peas gravy
Heat a pan with oil. Now add the ground paste along with 1 cup of the reserved water. Mix well. Tip in the cooked and mashed peas mixture.
Add jaggery, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Simmer this on low flame for about 10 mins. You will see that the gravy changes to dull green as it simmers.
When it froths up at the surface and begins to bubble, switch off flame. Our Peas Gravy is ready.
Frying or Prepping the Pooris
Heat a pan with oil. The oil should be hot enough for the Puris to fry well. Add the Puris in batches and fry on medium heat until golden, puffy and crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
Assembling
In a deep bowl, crush 8 to 9 pooris. Pour about 2 cups of the gravy. Add all the veggies- shredded carrots, onions, tomatoes.
Now, spoon the green chutney and the sweet chutney over. Sprinkle some Sev and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.
More Chaat Recipes
📖 Recipe
Masala Puri Chaat
Equipment
- Blender
- Frying Pan
Ingredients
For the Green peas
- 1.5 c Dried green peas
- 5 c Water
- 1 largish Potato
- 1 large Carrot peeled
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt
For the spice paste
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 10 leaves fresh mint
- ½ a boiled potato
- 2 inch piece boiled carrot
- 1 teaspoon aamchur powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 10 g finely chopped garlic
- 3 g peeled and chopped ginger
- 1 c finely chopped onions
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 small bit Kalpaasi ( Black stone flower) optional but highly recommended
- ¾ c finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 green chilis roughly chopped
For the green peas curry
- 1.5 tablespoon oil
- 1 recipe masala paste
- 1 c water
- 1 recipe prepared peas, potato and carrot mixture
- 1.5 teaspoon jaggery powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.75 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 c water to adjust consistency
For the pooris
- 48 dried pooris
- 200 ml oil
Toppings
- ½ c Mint chutney
- ½ c Dates and tamarind sweet chutney ( I have used store bought chutney here)
- 1 c Peeled and grated carrots
- 1 c finely chopped onions
- 1 c finely chopped tomatoes
- ½ c finely chopped raw mango Optional but recommended. ( I have not used this in the video though)
- ½ c finely chopped coriander leaves
- ¾ c Sev I have used store bought sev here.
Instructions
Cooking the green peas
- Wash the dried green peas and soak in 5 c water for 8 to 10 hours.
- After its hydrated, drain all the water used for soaking.
- Combine the hydrated peas, the peeled potato and carrot in a pressure cooker .
- Add 5 c water and salt to this.
- Pressure cook for 5 whistles.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Drain the water used for cooking and set aside.
- Set aside one piece boiled carrot and ½ the boiled potato.
- Now mash the remaining mixture gently. Set aside.
Making the masala paste
- In a blender, combine the cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, mint, boiled potato, carrot, Aamchur powder and red chili powder. Set aside.
- Heat a pan with oil.
- Add the ginger and garlic. Fry till garlic becomes golden.
- Now add chopped onions and mix well.
- Fry till pink and soft.
- Add the fennel seeds and Kalpaasi. Mix well.
- Now add finely chopped tomatoes and mix well. Add salt.
- Add green chilis now.
- Mix and cook till tomatoes turn mushy.
- Once done, combine with the other ingredients in the blender.
- Let cool and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
For the Green peas curry
- Heat a pan with 1.5 tablespoon oil.
- Add the ground masala paste.
- Mix well and add 1 c water. Use the water reserved from cooking the peas.
- Simmer for 2 mins.
- Now add cooked and mashed peas along with the water used for cooking the peas.
- Mix well.
- Add jaggery, garam masala and turmeric powder
- Add salt.
- Mix well and continue to simmer for 10 mins on low flame.
Frying the pooris
- Heat oil for deep frying the pooris.
- Add the pooris in batches.
- Fry on medium flame until puffy and crispy.
- Drain on a paper towel.
Assembling the Masala Poori Chaat
- Crush 8 pooris in a deep plate.
- Pour 2 cups of the hot peas gravy on the top.
- Add grated carrots, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions.
- Add 1 tablespoon sweet chutney and 1.5 tablespoon green chutney.
- Now sprinkle sev on top.
- Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Repeat the same process for assembling the remaining plates.
- Serve hot.
Notes
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
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