Dahi Chhole Papdi Chaat

We are a family that loves chaats. Anything and all kinds of chaats are made in our kitchen and make it to our table. My chaat venture was restricted to Aaloo tikki chaat and occasional paani poori. Mr. Parveez always loved eating chaats, and he would even make Masala Poori at home when we got married. After we got married, he tasted Aaloo tikki chaat and he loved it. Since the, I would always try and experiment with different kinds of chaats, including chaats with sprouts, fruits and beans.

Chhole make an awesome addition to every chaat. Once you mix them up with onions, coriander leaves, green chilies, chutney and yogurt, it really absorbs the flavors and tastes delicious. This chaat is crunchy, crispy and full of sweet, sour and mouth tingling flavors. It tantalizes your taste buds opening up to so many different tastes.

This is a quick answer to chaat time craving. The whole process never takes too long, specially if you have boiled chickpeas. I usually soak and boil mine and make small packets in the freezer. Though using canned chickpeas is absolutely fine as well, but I just prefer mine to be homemade, since it isn’t too time consuming. Chaat cravings always need quick answers and this is soul satisfying to any chaat lover. Enjoy!!!

Lahori Murgh Chhole Curry

Lahori Murgh Chhole Curry is a classic and time-honored Pakistani dish, deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of Lahore and an integral part of Punjabi cuisine. Long associated with the city’s vibrant food culture, this dish reflects the warmth and simplicity of everyday Lahori cooking. Interestingly, despite its cultural significance, many natives of Lahore regard Murgh Chhole as a routine household preparation, often overlooking how distinctive and celebratory it may appear to those outside the region.

Traditionally enjoyed as a breakfast dish, Lahori Murgh Chhole is most commonly served with tandoori roti or kulche, much like the beloved nihari. However, its versatility sets it apart—it pairs equally well with steamed rice or soft phulkas, making it suitable for any time of day. Rich in flavor yet comforting in nature, this dish beautifully represents the understated elegance of Punjabi home-style cuisine.

One might wonder what inspired me to cook Murgh Chhole Curry. The motivation, in fact, comes from an Indian chef whose work has inspired countless home cooks, myself included. In one of his shows, he shared a memorable story from his college days in Boston, when he traveled to New York City and dined at a small restaurant owned by a Pakistani chef. After his very first bite, he was so taken by the flavors that he asked for the recipe. The owner, in a generous gesture, wrote it down roughly on a napkin—in Urdu—which the chef still treasures to this day.

That story deeply resonated with me. I firmly believe that every dish carries a story within its flavors, and Murgh Chhole Curry is no exception. While this may not be my own lived experience, it is a narrative that I return to each time I cook, eat, or even read about this dish—and one that, I hope, will stay with you as well.

While this recipe is not directly sourced from that beloved chef, it is very much shaped by the inspiration I have drawn from watching culinary shows that celebrate diverse cultures and regional cuisines. These programs often focus on the spirit and technique behind iconic dishes rather than precise measurements or detailed ingredient lists. As a result, much of the interpretation is left to the cook.

I followed the methods and visual cues shared in these shows as closely as possible, adapting where necessary. That process—adjusting quantities, balancing spices, and refining flavors—has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of recreating this dish. The freedom to experiment is where the true joy of cooking lies, allowing each version to carry a personal imprint while still honoring its cultural roots.

This curry was prepared using ghee, though a neutral cooking oil may be substituted based on personal preference. The process begins by tempering the ghee with small dried red chilies, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, a cinnamon stick, green cardamom, and a bay leaf, allowing the aromatics to release their essential oils. Finely chopped onions and curry leaves are then added and sautéed until the onions turn a light pinkish-brown, followed by ginger-garlic paste.

Next, red chili powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, coriander powder, and salt are added and gently cooked before incorporating the chicken and pre-boiled chhole (chickpeas). Chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and yogurt are then mixed in, creating a rich and well-balanced gravy. The dish is finished with a garnish of sliced ginger and jalapeños, adding both freshness and heat.

This preparation results in a truly satisfying and flavorful dish. If you have not yet experienced Murgh Chhole Curry, I encourage you to try it—it is well worth the effort. It pairs beautifully with roti, paratha, tandoori roti, or simple boiled rice, making it a versatile addition to any meal.

Enjoy.

Masala Poori Chaat

Masala Poori or Masalpoori is a popular chaat in Southern states of India, mainly Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This chaat can be made spicy and sweet, and of course the best way, which is sweet and spicy.

I think all chaats need to have “Tikhi-Meethi”, which is sweet and spicy in hindi. A chaat has to have medley of flavors that just make you happy. Chaats should make you remember and enjoy good times. See, people usually don’t realize but more than any sweet dish, chaats spread more happiness. Sweet dish is a part of every family and usually made or brought in from sweet shop every time for an occasion, big or small, sometimes not so important and sometimes made even without an occasion. But, Chaat, people mostly don’t make it at home and when they step out to enjoy their favorite chaat, its more like an event.

If you happen to be a chaat lover like us, and enjoy making them at home, this is a recipe for you. This chaat is different from all other chaats, the difference is North and South, literally. This one is more cooked, blended, mixed in and a little more effort from our regular chaats, but the end result is all worth it.

This chaat is mostly made with peas and sometimes with Chickpeas/Kabuli Chana. I have made both ways and I feel the Kabuli Chana is much better so preferred in my house, but you can always substitute and follow the same steps. Peas do not need to be soaked so you can always make this chaat in around an hour if using peas. Make sure you follow the steps of mashing and blending, the flavor would not be the same if you omit those steps. The chaat is served warm and would fill you like a meal, so I recommend it more for tea parties or chaat evenings than an appetizer. It is also a great option for Ramadan Iftaar, if you have an hour gap between Iftaar and dinner. Also, I prefer making my papdi at home, and I make it with Whole wheat flour. Nevertheless, using store bought Papdi gives exactly the same fabulous result. If you want to make yours at home, feel free to follow my recipe. You can also substitute whole wheat with All purpose flour as well.

My better half, Mr. Parveez introduced me to this chaat. It was his college days when he would be out with his friends, after college and at times bunking classes enjoying mouthful of flavors and mostly it was Masala Poori. All in all, loads of wonderful memories. Now, I can definitely bring back his wonderful carefree days, but every now and then I help him remember them with a smile by offering his favorite chaat.

Chhole Tikki Chaat

I belong to Rajasthan, the land of flowing ghee, beautiful people and the most colorful state of India. Marwaris love chaats, specially the ones that are fried and warm and trust me, no one can make chaats and sweets better than Marwaris. That’s the reason we always see most sweet vendors and chatwalas as Marwaris.

I have been a big fan of chaats and this happens to be one of my favorites. It takes a little time to make it, but one bite into this awesomely delicious food and all the effort seems totally worth it. This chaat is also close to my heart because this was the first dish that portrayed my culinary skills and he felt proud that he is getting married to a promising cook.

Now, I learnt to make this chaat through a family friend, who would offer to cook food for us every Ramadan. Honestly, that was the first time I realized that such good street food can also be cooked at home as well. I was 11 then, and I would always be a little helper. With time, I learnt how to make it by myself and it always has pleased everyone who tried it.

The tikkis are made with boiled potatoes mixed with spices and rolled in mix of Maida and Corn Starch Powder, before pan frying. The corn starch makes the tikkis super crunchy and that is exactly how you want them to be. Specially once you add on hot chhole, the tikkis can get soggy very quickly. Corn starch helps it stay crunchier for longer.

The chhole have to be spicy and tangy, giving that perfect chaat taste to the tikki chhole. Adding Tamarind and dry pomegranate powder to chhole makes it taste just like the street foods in India. I usually soak my chickepeas, boil them and once cooled down, I pack them in separate ziploc bags and freeze them. I like to make loads of chaats that include chickpeas and this is one of my favorites. So, not having chickpeas, since they need to be soaked overnight, is the last thing I need to worry about if I feel like making chaat.

Assembling this chaat is what makes it taste more delicious. You can make the best Tikkis and chhole, but if you don’t assemble the chaat the right way, it wouldn’t give you flavors you are looking for. It has to be served warm on top of potato tikki and further garnished with chopped onions, coriander leaves, Tamarind date chutney, Green chutney and thin sev.

Beetroot Chhole Sabzi

We were watching a TV show that was showing places and foods. We love watching those TV shows and we also make a mental note to go to those awesome restaurants if we ever travel to those places. We have visited some of those places and also to those awesome food places. And, other times when we watch these shows, I love seeing things and try to make them at home.

This dish is inspired from some restaurant in Kerela, India. The blogger went to a random restaurant which served authentic vegetarian food and tried Beetroot with chickpeas. It is a different combination and I found it weird to be honest. I do make Beetroot curry and Chhole but separately, never thought of them to be together.

So, I could never get an idea of the recipe except that it was beetroot shredded and had chickpeas. I added spices keeping Kerela flavors in mind. I added onions, a little tamarind and coconut. The end result was great and looked almost same as the curry we saw on TV and with taste, anyone who has tasted Kerela food can feel the connection.

Its an easy curry to make as long as you have Boiled Chickpeas. I usually soak and boil chickpeas, divide them and put them in ziploc in the freezer. I just prefer using them than using canned chickpeas. Its just a personal preference and won’t make any difference to the curry flavor.

Chhole Sev Chaat

Do you ever have those days when you feel like having something filling, flavorful, colorful, sweet and sour, but you don’t want the dish to be heavy and not too filling. It’s one of those days when you don’t want those extra calories to pile up but, it’s hard to give up on that craving.

Well, this dish is for those days. To me, its a perfect weekend lunch. Our weekend lunch is difficult decision to make, specially on Sunday. My boys have sports and morning are always eggs, banana and milk or smoothies. After spending most of our day at sports ground and returning home at 2 PM, you can imagine the huge hunger pangs and growling stomachs.

At this point, serving my boys with kebabs or burgers is fine since they can easily digest it but the problem is that with 4 hours remaining in dinner, you want something filling but nothing too heavy. This dish is is perfect for those days.

Chhole/chickpeas are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Mixing them up with tomato, onion, coriander leaves and few spices with yogurt, chutneys and sev make an excellent chaat which is satisfying to your belly and craving. A mouthful of delicious bites without the fear of adding extra calories.

Chhole Palak

My kids, like all other kids completely dislike spinach. Any form of spinach curry or spinach daal made with different recipes would not make them happy. I am sure a lot of people share this story. My kids liked chhole/ chickpeas and that’s when I tried to come up with a recipe that has spinach, and does not give you that strong spinach taste.

This recipe is healthy, super delicious and is a wholesome nutrition. Its even good if you are on a diet.