#HEALTHY SNACKS: PEANUT CHAT

HEALTHY SNACKS: PEANUT CHAT

Bangalore... the city with beautiful weather year round (if you enjoy winters and the rains that is :P), bustling with crowds traffic.. (traffic jams ofcourse)... and yummy street food. And when it is raining everyday like it is now, you would feel like munching something hot and spicy...And if you have a foodie for a husband (like me) you have to rake your brains for healthy tasty nutritious recipes so keep himm happy (and get those gifts you have been drooling over). A part of my blogs would be about such recipes which can be made in a jiffy and enjoyed any time of the day.. with a cup of tea/coffee or that glass of beer.... Ahhhh!...

Lets start with some easy to make chaat recipes..

PEANUT (GROUNDNUT) CHAT :

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Peanuts are a major part of our cuisine and most of the kitchens would have a jar of peanuts avaiable any time of the day. The most important and commonly eaten item being peanut chutney that goes well with dosas, idlis and other South Indian snacks. You would also find road side wallas making chat out of hot steaming peanuts.. Here is my take on this lovely chat.

You would require:

Peanuts (groundnuts) --- 2 cup.
Onion --- 1 medium finely chopped
Green chilli --- 1 medium slit seeds removed and cut into 1" pieces
Chat powder --- as required
Dhania (Coriander) powder--- a pinch or as needed
Jeera (cumin) powder --- a pinch or as needed
Garam Masala ---- a pinch (optional)
Turmeric ---- a pinch or as needed
(For a tastier chat, it would be a better option to use freshly ground Dhania and Jeera powder
Oil --- for tadka or temperning or popu
Grated coconut --- 3 tbsp (optional)
Coriander --- for garnishing
Lemon juice of half a lemon


Boil the peanuts in a pressure cooker with half a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of turmeric. To get the authentic chat taste, I boil it in a vessel with water and salt for about 15-20 minutes. Once the peanuts are boiled properly, drain the water and keep them aside.

In a Kadhai, heat some oil. Add the onions, and fry for a minute, add green chillies and fry further.

When the onions change colour slightly, add the dhania powder, jeera powder,garam masala powder, chat masala, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Add the peanuts and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the grated coconut and chopped coriander and mix well.

Just before serving add the lemon juice, mix well and serve.

Chat masala can also be added at then end instead of in between the process along with the other masalas.

Garnish with chopped coriander, lemon wedges and serve.

This is a very good accompaniment with evening tea or juices and other beverages. It is a quick fix for kids as an evening snack.

Hope you liked this snack.

Do post your feedback. Would help me do better. Looking for some specific recipe? Do let me know and I will get back to you.