Chana Chaat - easy snack recipe

Name: Chana Chaat - easy snack recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup black horse gram (kala chana); 3 cups water + more for boiling chana; 1 medium tomato; 1 medium onion; 1 lime juice; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp chaat masala; 1/4 cup fresh herbs (cilantro & mint)

This Indian snack recipe is simple to make, healthy and packed with protein. It is a fresh vegetarian dish can be made ahead of time and eaten all through the week.

Little did I think this chana chaat recipe would be a blog I write about. Why do I say this? Growing up this was not my favorite snack as it was considered “healthy” and “good for you” I was had this lens in my mind that it was not tasty. Until I actually ate it and realized that it was so freaking delicious! He beauty about this recipe is that you can serve it with chutneys, as a topping on fish, with tortillas, in a wrap or just enjoy it in its own. And sometimes we just need a simple but easy vegetarian dish that is quick to make and that keeps well in the fridge for a week to snack on as needed. This is one of those. So let us get to the recipe.

What is chana chaat? What is chana chaat made of?

Traditionally chana chaat is made with boiled chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, limes, spices and fresh herbs. It is refreshing, spicy, tangy and delicious – a very common street food snack in Indian cuisine. Chana is horse gram and chaat is a combination of spices to make a specific mixture that is spicy, salty, sweet and savory in every bite. You can use black horse gram or chickpeas to make this recipe. I prefer the black horse gram aka kala chana as this is how I ate it growing up. Having said this it can have many other ingredients in it as well, like, cucumbers, garlic, ginger, dates/apricots, mixed peppers as well. I love adding a bit of feta cheese into the recipe to add saltiness. You can customize it to your liking.

Is chana chaat good for health?

Yes it is! This recipe is a high protein, low to no carb dish that is vegetarian and vegan. Not to mention gluten free. You can enjoy it as a snack that fills you up all through the day or serve it with a bowl of yogurt in the morning as a savory breakfast option.

What ingredients are needed to make chana chaat?

To make this recipe I have used black horse gram, tomatoes, onions, fresh cilantro, fresh mint, chaat masala powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, salt and lime juice.

What equipment is needed to make chana chaat?

I have boiled the chana in a large stock pot with water. You can use a pressure cooker or instant pot as well. Once you have 2-3 whistles it means the chana is cooked. The recipe is mixed together in a medium mixing bowl with a spoon. We need a knife and chopping board to cut the ingredients.

How to make chana chaat?

The night before –

In a large stock pot add the black horse gram (kala chana) and add the 3 cups of water, cover and allow this to soak over night (if using a pressure cooker or instant pot skip this step).

Next day –

Drain out the soaking water and add fresh water, allow the water to fill the pot it should be double the amount of the chana. Transfer to the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat add the salt and allow to simmer until cooked – around 30-40 minutes (You can do this step in the pressure cooker/instant pot by adding the chana, water and salt into the pot and cooking for 3 whistles or until soft). In this time prepare the remaining ingredients and finely chop the tomatoes, onions, fresh herbs and get the spices ready. Drain out the excess water and transfer the soft chana to a mixing bowl. Add the prepared ingredients and squeeze over the lime juice, stir well until combined and serve as needed.

Storing and serving chana chaat?

The chana chaat can be eaten warm but I like to let the bowl sit at room temperature for 30 minutes which allows the mixture to marinate and taste much more delicious. You can serve it chilled as well even though my mum and many other people do not like eating cold legumes and beans as it can cause bloating. Or serve it with yogurt and a fresh chopped salad. I like making it with chickpeas and topping it over grilled fish. However you eat it, the leftovers must be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Looking for more Indian snack recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this chana chaat recipe, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.

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