Papdi Chaat Recipe: 5 Tips for Making the Vegetarian Snack

Dahi papdi chaat, usually known simply as papdi chaat or papri chaat, is a traditional North Indian street food that combines papdi (deep-fried crackers) with various local vegetables, yogurt, chutneys, and other toppings. “Chaat” refers to the combination of potato, chickpeas, and other items that top the papdi. From Mumbai to Kolkata, street vendors often serve the appetizer hot and ready.

Part of the appeal of papdi chaat lies in the aromatic spices that envelop the food. Tamarind chutney incorporates dates, cumin powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. In contrast, green chutney, also known as coriander chutney, consists of coriander leaves (cilantro), lemon juice, ginger, garlic, and chilis. These aromatics help lift the papdi chaat and amplify the chickpea flavor. The sheer amount of coriander in the chutney makes it a rich source of vitamin C.

The origins of the food go back millennia, with most of the basic ingredients mentioned in the Hindu Vedas. Tamils combined spices with “curd” (yogurt), and Middle Eastern tribes farmed chickpeas for thousands of years and traded it with Indian tribes. Wheat flour was plentiful across the continents, and growers farmed and cooked various types, like emmer and spelt, in the region.

However, it wasn’t until the Portuguese and the British introduced the potato (aloo) to India in the seventeenth century that this particular street food became complete.

Here are some tips to consider before making your own papdi chaat:

1. 1. Experiment with ingredients. Garnishing the snack with sev puri provides a textural boost. However, you can substitute other thin noodles to get that crunch or omit the garnish altogether. Adding paneer cheese into the mix can change the texture, especially if it’s fried. Mung beans are a popular addition that usually goes on top of the curd but below the chutney.
2. 2. Heat the oil to the right temperature. The key to making the perfect papdi chaat is to get the papdi, sometimes called puris, crispy. Make sure your oil is at the right temperature—use a food thermometer to ensure it’s adequately heated. If the oil is not hot enough, your papdi won’t crisp up.
3. 3. Bake instead of frying. For a lighter take, bake or air-fry your papdi. Simply place them on baking sheets and cook them at 175 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. While they will lose a little flavor, they won’t soak up large amounts of oil, making them less calorific.
4. 4. Prick the crackers as they cook. If you don’t prick the papdi, they’ll puff up and become hollow. While this looks impressive, it can be hard to get all of the toppings into the bowl to garnish the snack.
5. 5. Customize your chutney. Substitute a sweet tamarind chutney for the traditional chutney, or try garlic chutney instead. If you make your own tamarind chutney, add different spices, such as red chili powder, chopped coriander, or allspice, to create different flavor profiles.