Chaat Masala Recipe Ideas

Chaat Masala is a classic Spice Blend which is used in a variety of simple snacks and street food. It has a distinct salty and sour flavour which comes from amchur (dried mango powder) and black salt. The strong flavour means a little goes a long way.

It is often used with potatoes or as a seasoning for fruit. Here are a couple of simple recipe ideas to get your creative culinary juices flowing, and spice up snack time:

• Barbecued sweetcorn with lime and chaat masala - dip a wedge of lime into the chaat masala and then rub & squish the lime juice and chaat all over the corn.
• Parboil potatoes, cut them into cubes and then fry until crispy. Sprinkle a little chaat masala over the top.
• Sprinkle it over boiled potatoes with a squeeze of lemon juice and some fresh coriander.
• For a sweeter potato dish, sprinkle it over potatoes and top with tamarind chutney, yoghurt or both!
• Try mixing with yoghurt and a small amount of grated garlic to make a dip for wedges.
• Sprinkle it over a mixture of ripe fruit such as apple, mango and banana.
• Add it to a mix of cooked chickpeas, tomato and fresh coriander.
• Try sprinkling it over a boiled egg.
• Finely dice a red onion and mix with cucumber sticks, a squeeze of lemon juice and your chaat masala.

When using the chaat masala, it's best to add a small amount, taste it, and then add a bit more if it needs it. Usually 1 - 2 tsp is sufficient for a recipe, or, if only preparing a small amount, just enough to lightly coat your fruit or veg. You can also experiment with adding a couple of other spices alongside your chaat masala (especially with the potato chaats) - try roasting ground cumin seeds or frying some curry leaves in a little oil until crispy and delicious.