Shirleen's Chana Chaat from the Great Eyewitness News Holiday Cook-off
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Shirleen serves up this warming, spiced chickpea salad with pomegranate, red onions, tomatoes, and green chilies. She topped the dish with a cilantro-coconut sauce, mango sour chutney, and crunchy sev for an extra punch of flavor. The chana chaat can be eaten hot or cold. If eating cold, add the toppings to the chickpeas right before serving.
Chana Chaat
What you'll need
2 1/2 to 3 cups chickpeas soaked overnight and boiled, or canned chickpeas
1 medium red onion - finely diced
1 medium tomato - finely diced
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds, reserve some for topping
1 green chili, finely chopped - optional
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1/2 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) - optional
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice or add to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (Cilantro works as a substitution)
1/4 cup fine sev - optional
Salt to taste
Special equipment
Pressure cooker
How to make Chana chaat
1. Soak chickpeas in enough water overnight or up to 9 hours. Drain water and rinse the chickpeas in running water. Or use canned chickpeas. if using canned chickpeas place them in a mixing bowl and skip to step four.
2. Place the chickpeas in a pressure cooker after soaking and rinsing. Add salt and 4 cups water. Cover tightly with the lid and initially pressure cook on medium flame. When you start hearing a hissing sound in the cooker, lower the flame a bit and cook for 10 to 12 whistles. Wait for the pressure to fall on its own before removing the lid. The chickpeas should have a "melt-in-your-mouth texture" and be easily mashed with a fork. If there's still some hardness add more water and pressure cook for a few more minutes.
3. Drain all the water and put cooked chickpeas aside in a mixing bowl.
4. Finely dice onion and tomato, and chop green chili (if using). Rinse and finely chop coriander leaves. Keep aside.
5. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala. Add salt as per taste. For some tang, if using add dry mango powder (amchur powder) and mix together to combine. Add pomegranate, onions, tomatoes, green chili, coriander leaves, and lemon juice, mix well to incorporate.
6. Serve chana chaat in a bowl and garnish with reserve pomegranate, coriander leaves, and optional sev.
Watch the Great Eyewitness News Holiday Cook-off to see Ken Rosato and Shirleen Allicot go head-to-head in the kitchen for the coveted title of best newsroom chef!
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