CHOLE-SAMOSA CHAAT

When hot steaming Chole and freshly prepared Samosas get together, they create a food riot with most Indian's. Within no time you have people gobbling up the first round and getting ready to devour their second and may be third also. Individually, both are mt favourites, chole doing well with puri/ bhature and stuff like that, the samosas eaten just like that to some tangy chutney to go with it.But chole samosa chaat, a once popular Delhi street food item and now also enjoyed in different parts of India, if had at home and enjoying every mouthful, would make it a lip-smacking item that would have the taste lingering much after it is consumed. It basically consists of a crushed crunchy potato stuffed samosa that is then topped with chole/ chana, yogurt, sweet and tangy chutneys and some fine sev. Each bite of this delicious snack is a burst of incredible flavours.

INGREDIENTS:

For Samosa Filling :

1 tablespoon Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

3 Boiled Potatoes, peeled and mashed

½ Cup Green Peas

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

2 tablespoon Coriander, chopped

½ tablespoon Lemon Juice

4-5 Green Chillies, chopped finely

For Cover Dough:

2 Cups Maida

2 tablespoon Ghee

1 teaspoon Ajwain/ Carom Seeds

Salt to taste

Water for kneading the dough

For Making Chhole:

1- 1 ½  Cup Chickpeas  [soaked overnight and pressure cooked]

2 Large Onion, chopped finely

3-4 Tomatoes, pureed

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon Oil

1 Inch Cinnamon Stick

4-5 Cloves

2-3 Green Cardamoms

1 Bay Leaf

 ½ teaspoon Shahi Jeera

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

3-4 Dry Red Kashmiri Chillies [adjust according to palate]

½ teaspoon Peppercorns

1 tablespoon Kasoori Methi

½ teaspoon Garam Masala

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

½ teaspoon Aamchur Powder

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Other Ingredients:

Oil for frying

4 tablespoon Sweet Dates-Tamarind Chutney

4 tablespoon Spicy Green Chutney

2 teaspoon Garlic Chutney

Finely chopped Onion

Fine Sev

Chopped Coriander

METHOD:

For Making Chhole / Chickpea Curry: [recipe with pictures already there on my blog]

STEP 1 – Soak chick peas for 7-8 hours or overnight. Pressure cook them for 4-5 whistles or until the chick peas are cooked through. Release the pressure.

STEP 2 – Drain the water from the chick peas and reserve it for the gravy.

STEP 3 – Now dry roast the whole spices on low flame till you feel a nice smell. Cool them and then transfer them to a mixer pot and make a fine powder with them. Keep the powder aside.

STEP 4 – Heat a pan, add oil in it and when it get heated add half of the chopped onion in it. Saute it well on medium flame till golden brown in colour. Add ginger-garlic paste in it and cook well for 2-3 minutes.

STEP 5 – Now transfer it to a blender jar along with the powdered masala from “STEP 3”

and grind it to a fine paste with ¼ cup water. Keep it aside.

STEP 6 – Heat pan with oil, add remaining half of the chopped onion and sauté well and cook till it turns nice golden in colour. Here you can add a pinch of salt and sugar in the onion. Salt helps to speed up the cooking and sugar helps to caramelize the onion  quickly.  

STEP 7 – Next add the ground spice powder-onion paste in it and mix it well and cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes.

Stir it continuously until the paste becomes little dry and oil starts to separate on the edges.

STEP 8 – Add tomato puree in it and mix well. Take care as the puree splutter while cooking. Stir in the mixture well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

TEP 9 – Add turmeric powder and salt to taste and add about 2-3 cups of water in it. Mix well and cover it and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in between and let the gravy come to a gentle boil.

STEP 10 – Add cooked chickpeas in it, add aamchur powder and mix well.

If you find the gravy is too thick, add more water in it.

Cook the curry further to get the right consistency as per your liking. Let it simmer for 6-7 minutes on low flame for all the flavours to blend harmoniously.

For Making Dough:

STEP 1 – In a bowl, add maida, salt and ajwain and mix it well.

STEP 2 – Now add ghee, crumble and mix the flour. Mix well making sure the dough holds shape.

STEP 3 – Add water gradually and start kneading the dough. Knead a tight dough adding water as required.

STEP 4 – Cover the dough with damp cloth and keep to rest for 20-25 minutes.

For Making Filling:

STEP 1 – Heat oil in a pan, crackle cumin seeds.

STEP 2 – Then add boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes in to it.

STEP 3 – Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 4 – Add green peas and mix. Cook for another 2 minutes.

STEP 5 – Add freshly chopped coriander and mix it well.

STEP 6 – Drizzle lemon juice and mix. Stuffing is ready. Allow to cool completely.

Shaping and Stuffing Samosa:

STEP 1 – After 20 minutes, knead the dough slightly again.

STEP 2 - Divide the dough in equal size small balls.

STEP 3 – Grease the rolling board with little oil, take one dough portion,

roll the dough into circle shape. You can roll it oval shape too.

STEP 4 – Now cut it horizontally, divide into 2 equal portions using a knife.

STEP 5 – Apply some water at the edges

and make a cone as shown in picture below. Gently press the edges so that it seal properly.

STEP 6 – Stuff 2 tablespoon prepared samosa filling into the cone.

Now close and seal the edges tightly by pressing firmly.

Repeat the same procedure and make all the samosas.

You can freeze at this stage in an airtight container for 2 months.     

STEP 7 – Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. 

STEP 8 – Drop samosa carefully in oil. 

Put the flame low and deep fry samosa for at least 10 minutes.

STEP 9 – Once the samosa turns golden and crisp, drain off over the kitchen towel/ tissue paper.

Assembling Samosa Chaat:

STEP 1 – Take a serving plate, take one samosa, roughly break/ smash samosa into small pieces.

STEP 2 – Put a ladleful of prepared chole evenly over it.

STEP 3 – Now pour 1 tablespoon sweet dates-tamarind chutney, 1 tablespoon spicy green chutney and 1 teaspoon garlic chutney.   

STEP 4 – Top with 1-2 tablespoon chopped Onions, chopped coriander and 1 tablespoon Sev evenly over it. Sprinkle some chaat masala and drizzle with some lemon juice.
STEP 5 – Repeat the same procedure and prepare remaining servings of samosa chaat. Serve it immediately after making a plate.