Sour and spicy potatoes (alu chaat) with chutneys

Name: Sour and spicy potatoes (alu chaat) with chutneys
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 4 potatoes such as desiree (about 1kg), peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces; 4 tbsp coriander peanut chutney (see below); 100ml natural yogurt, lightly whisked; Pinch chilli powder; 2 tbsp ginger and chilli chutney (see below; or use a dried chilli chutney such as Kerala Taste, from Ebay); ¼ tsp chaat masala; 2-3 tbsp fine sev; Handful fresh pomegranate seeds; For the coriander peanut chutney; 30g raw, blanched peanuts; 1 small onion, roughly chopped; 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 2 green chillies, roughly chopped; Large bunch fresh coriander (about 40g), leaves picked; Small bunch fresh mint (about 20g), leaves picked; 1 tsp sugar; ½ tsp salt; Juice ½ lime; For the ginger and chilli chutney; 3 tbsp rapeseed oil; 100g fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; 10 dried red chillies – we used kashmiri chillies; 80g jaggery, grated (or use dark brown muscovado sugar); 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 tsp white sesame seeds; You’ll also need; Blender or food processor

By: Chetna Makan

Published: 19 Aug 21
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Chetna Makan’s alu chaat recipe is the perfect side dish for an Indian feast. Sour and spicy potatoes are topped with fresh chutneys, pomegranate and sev.

Recipe taken from Chetna’s 30-Minute Indian (£20 Mitchell Beazley), out now.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 25 min (give yourself an extra 10 min if not making the chutneys in advance)

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Ingredients

4 potatoes such as desiree (about 1kg), peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
4 tbsp coriander peanut chutney (see below)
100ml natural yogurt, lightly whisked
Pinch chilli powder
2 tbsp ginger and chilli chutney (see below; or use a dried chilli chutney such as Kerala Taste, from Ebay)
¼ tsp chaat masala
2-3 tbsp fine sev
Handful fresh pomegranate seeds

For the coriander peanut chutney

30g raw, blanched peanuts
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 green chillies, roughly chopped
Large bunch fresh coriander (about 40g), leaves picked
Small bunch fresh mint (about 20g), leaves picked
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
Juice ½ lime

For the ginger and chilli chutney

3 tbsp rapeseed oil
100g fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
10 dried red chillies – we used kashmiri chillies
80g jaggery, grated (or use dark brown muscovado sugar)
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp white sesame seeds

You’ll also need

Blender or food processor

Method

For the coriander peanut chutney, heat a frying pan, add the peanuts and toast over a low heat for 1-2 minutes until golden.
Transfer the toasted peanuts to a blender or food processor, then add all the remaining ingredients with 5 tbsp water and whizz until smooth. Set aside until ready to use (see Make Ahead).
For the ginger and chilli chutney, heat 2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a pan, add the ginger and cook over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes until it starts to change colour. Add the chillies and cook for 1 minute more.
Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and whizz, adding up to 6 tbsp water to form a paste.
Return to the pan and add the jaggery, tamarind and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the jaggery has dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble up. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Add the sesame seeds and cook over a low heat for 1 minute or until they start to change colour, then immediately sprinkle over the chutney. You can serve this warm, but it’s much better if left to cool first (see Make Ahead).
For the alu chaat, put the potato pieces in a pan, cover with water and add 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then cook for 5-7 minutes until cooked through. Drain and cool for 5 minutes.
Put the potatoes in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the coriander peanut chutney and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle the yogurt on top, then sprinkle with some salt and the chilli powder.
Drizzle the remaining coriander peanut chutney and all the ginger and chilli chutney on top, followed by the chaat masala and the sev. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and serve.

Recipe from August 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 325kcals
Fat: 5.6g (1.1g saturated)
Protein: 8.7g
Carbohydrates: 56.7g (9.1g sugars)
Fibre: 6.6g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

Both chutneys can be made in advance. The coriander and peanut chutney will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The ginger and chilli chutney will keep for 12-14 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Chaat masala is a spice blend widely use in South Asian (especially Indian) cuisine, with a flavour that’s sweet, spicy, pungent, savoury and sour all at once. Its characteristic tang adds brightness to many classic dishes such as alu chaat, dahi puri and bhel puri. Check the ingredients to make sure it’s gluten free if you need it to be.

Sev are small, crunchy, deep-fried noodles made from chickpea flour. Often eaten in Bombay mix, mixed with spices and dried fruit or tossed through more substantial dishes to add crunch. Check the ingredients to make sure it’s gluten free if you need it to be.

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