A blend of different flavours

DOWN FOODPATH

For a homemaker, it is almost always tough to prepare a delicious yet nutritious tiffin box for the children since the choice of the young ones changes quite frequently.

If one day my son wanted to have something sweet then the other day he wanted a savoury dish to be packed. I had to therefore experiment and come up with new recipes and innovations each time I packed his school lunchbox. The trick was to maintain the nutrient quotient as well as prepare a dish that would provide for a satisfying meal.

Once while mixing refined flour (maida) for poori-sabzi, I thought of giving the dough the shape of a small container or katori to be filled with chaat.

This served as a substitute to papri chaat, a savoury snack typically served from road-side stalls to malls in India. It has become quite popular in the global cuisine due to its sweet and tangy flavours.

The combination of papri filled with chaat worked so well with my child that it has since then become a hot favourite and is today enjoyed by the whole family together. Recipe  Katori chaat  Ingredients
1/2 cup maida
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt

For the filling
1 cup mixed sprouts (boiled)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds a pinch
    of asafoetida
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander and cumin
    seeds powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dried mango powder
1 tsp chole masala
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For serving and garnish
1 cup beaten curd
1 cup dates and tamarind

Chutney
Green chutney
Sev Chaat masala   Method

To make the katori, combine the flour, butter and salt and make stiff dough using a little water. Knead very well.

Make small balls and flatten it to the shape of a circle. Take a small steel bowl and grease it with oil on the outer side. Press the circular dough on the exterior of the bowl to shape it like a katori. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Prick them with a fork.

Bake them in an oven at 230°C (450°F) for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool the katoris and keep aside. To prepare the filling, heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they crackle, add asafoetida. Add sprouts, chilli powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, amchoor, chhole masala, salt and two tbsp of water.

Cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes and keep aside. Take one tbsp of this filling and place it in the katori, one by one. Garnish with sev and chaat masala. Serve with curd, dates and tamarind chutney and green chutney.
As told by Kumkum Verma to Mayank Verma