Bhalla Papdi Chaat

Again a Delhi special chaat item, one of our favorites!

Papdi chaat is a popular traditional fast food and street food from the Indian subcontinent. It is more popular in the northern region of the country compared to other areas.

It is traditionally prepared using crisp fried dough wafers known as papdi, along with bhallas which are made of urad dal, boiled chick peas, boiled potatoes, tamarind chutney, mint chutney, yogurt and topped with sev and chat masala

Ingredients :

for papdi

• 1 cup Maida (All purpose flour)

• 1/2 cup Atta (wheat flour)

• 2 tbsp Besan (gram flour)

• Salt to taste

• 1/2 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds)

• 1/3 cup ghee/oil

• Cold water as required

for bhalla

• 1 cup Urad dal

• ¼ cup Moong dal

• Salt to taste

for green chutney

• 1 bunch pudina leaves (mint)

• 1/2 bunch coriander leaves (dhaniya)

• 1/2 a raw mango (if in season) or 1/2 of lemon

• 2 green chillies

• 1 inch ginger

for tamarind chutney - look at the link

for toppings

• 1 cup boiled potato - cut in small cubes and mixed with salt, red chili and chaat masala

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped tomato

• 1/4 cup boiled chick peas or green moong boiled

• 2 finely chopped chilies

• 1/2 cup sev

• Mix masala - 1/4 tsp black salt + 1/4 tsp red chili + 1/4 tsp chaat masala (mix them in a small bowl and keep)

• Green chutney

• Tamarind (imli) chutney

• Beaten Curd

• Pomegranate seeds

• Coriander leaves chopped finely

Method :

for papdi

• Sieve the maida, atta, besan and salt together. Add ajwain and ghee and mix it well. The dough at this moment should be crumbly

• Knead the dough using cold water till it reaches medium hard consistency. Cover the dough and keep it for 10-15 minutes.

• Make small balls out of the dough and roll them into roti shape but they should be a little more thicker than a regular roti.

• Using a small circle cutter (use a small glass or bowl) and prick them with fork.

• Heat oil in kadai, and deep fry those till golden brown in the medium low heat. If we increase the heat then the papdis won't be crispy enough.

• Remove them on a tissue of absorb excess oil. Store these in airtight container.

for bhalla

• Wash and soak both the dals separately overnight.

• Grind the dals together with very little water and salt coarsely (do not add lots of water).

• Whisk the batter to incorporate air in it. To check if done, you can take small amount of batter and put in a cup of water, if it floats then it's done. If you like add finely chopped ginger and chili in the batter, that way we can use it for Dahi Bhalla.

• Take a spoonful and put it in the hot oil for frying. Keep the oil on medium heat, so as the bhallas can cook slowly inside too. Fry till golden brown.

• Keep aside till they cools down, then soak in the Masala Water.

• To make masala water, warm some water and then add 1 teaspoon Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Black salt, 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon Tamarind chutney. Mix well and then soak the bhallas in them for 2-3 hours.

Best time will be to make the bhallas in the morning and keep it for the evening use.

for green chutney

• Wash both mint and coriander well and then grind it with the green chili and ginger and salt.

• If using raw mango then add that too. If using lemon then first grind the leaves with ginger & chili and before serving add the juice of half a lemon and mix together.

for imli chutney

Assemble the Chaat

• In a plate break some papdi, add bhalla to it along with spiced potatoes, chopped onions, tomatoes, boiled chick peas or boiled green moong.

• Add the beaten curd, both the chutneys and pomegranate seeds, sev and chopped coriander leaves and serve.