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Ali Redmond
Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:2Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:25 minsTotal Time:25 minsServings:2
Active Time:25 mins
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:25 mins
Total Time:
Servings:2
Servings:
2
Jump to Nutrition Facts
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Ask me, “What’s chaat?”—and I may well launch into a dissertation. Chaat is a generic name for South Asian street food that comes in many forms. Think of it as a fresh and tangy dish, sometimes spicy, but interwoven with sweet notes. Layers of texture and flavor compete playfully and dance on your palate. The crunch of sev (deep-fried chickpea flour noodles), the heat from chutneys cooled down with yogurt, the blast of color that is a feast for the eyes. Chaat is best enjoyed with friends at a roadside stall, but also may be an elaborate meal at home with the whole family clamoring for seconds.
I have consumed many times my body weight in chaat, along with other typical South Asian vegetarian fare, which, while absolutely delicious, tends to revolve around carbs. Rice, which is the staple food of South India, was usually in my tiffin box (sometimes in multiple forms). When I moved to the U.S., I added staples such as sandwiches, pasta and cereal into my meal rotation. It was a delicious journey until a routine physical a few years ago. My doctor’s note—which I almost missed, skimming past the results as I usually did—said “A1C in prediabetic range. Minimize rice, pasta, bread and sweets.” Umm. What was I supposed to eat instead?
That was when I started to get mindful of the starch on my plate, the general absence of protein and the pitiful lack of fiber. I grew weary of eating eggs, cheese, avocado and quinoa salads. I craved the bold Indian flavors that I had grown up with. I experimented with cauliflower rice with great results, like thisCauliflower Ven Pongal with Tomato Chutney, and built up a repertoire of dishes that kept me satisfied. Until, one day, I wanted chaat.
First, I created Cucumber Papdi Chaat (which ended up in my cookbook). In a simple but effective twist on Papdi Chaat, I used cucumber slices in place of the deep-fried dough, and added strained (Greek-style) yogurt and nuts for more protein. It was so good, I made seasonal variations for fall and winter, using Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes respectively.
This dish became something of a formula. Always packed with veggies, often with an interplay of cooked or roasted ones along with raw cucumber, tomato and onion. I replaced the carb-heavy sev with crunchy air-fryer masala nuts, which delivered a similar flavor but with additional protein. Somewhere along the way, I reversed my prediabetes, but realized that I could eat like this forever.
This recipe is an addition to my chaat roster. Bhel Puri is typically made of puffed crispy rice, peanuts, veggies and tangy chutneys. In this recipe, I use puffed quinoa and lentils for more protein and fiber, while peanuts provide the mandatory crunch. And this version screams summer, loaded with bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and corn. While you may not typically buy coriander chutney, tamarind chutney and puffed quinoa, these are well worth snagging, and I can confidently say that they will not go to a corner of your pantry to die. The chutneys work beautifully on anything from sandwiches to scrambled eggs, and the puffed quinoa adds texture to granola and salads.
Recipes like this veggie-centric chaat have become my new norm. While I tend to follow the 80/20 rule and do enjoy traditional chaat and, yes, rice on occasion, my daily meals look very different. They usually focus on veggies and protein, with a smaller amount of starch on the side. But most importantly, they are full of flavor. Ask me, “What’s chaat?” Chaat is life.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients1/2cupcooked French green lentils1smallgreenorred bell pepper, finely diced1largeEnglish cucumberor3 Persian cucumbers, finely diced1jalapeño pepper, seeded, if desired, and finely diced (optional)2/3cupcooked corn kernels, thawed if frozen1cuppuffed quinoa(see Tip)1/4cuptamarind-date chutney(see Tip)2tablespoonscoriander chutney1/2cupfinely choppedRomaorcherry tomatoes1/3cupfinely choppedred onion1/4cupfinely choppedfresh cilantro1/3cupunsalted roasted peanuts
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
1/2cupcooked French green lentils
1smallgreenorred bell pepper, finely diced
1largeEnglish cucumberor3 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
1jalapeño pepper, seeded, if desired, and finely diced (optional)
2/3cupcooked corn kernels, thawed if frozen
1cuppuffed quinoa(see Tip)
1/4cuptamarind-date chutney(see Tip)
2tablespoonscoriander chutney
1/2cupfinely choppedRomaorcherry tomatoes
1/3cupfinely choppedred onion
1/4cupfinely choppedfresh cilantro
1/3cupunsalted roasted peanuts
DirectionsEvenly divide lentils, bell pepper, cucumber, jalapeño (if using), corn and quinoa between two bowls. Drizzle with tamarind-date chutney and coriander chutney. Top with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peanuts.Ali RedmondTipsPuffed quinoa is raw quinoa that has been heated until it expands and “pops,” much like puffed rice or popcorn. This method gives the quinoa a light, crispy texture while preserving its natural nutty flavor. Look for it in well-stocked natural-foods stores or online.Tamarind-date chutney is a sweet-and-sour condiment that often contains added sugar to intensify the sweet flavor. Check the ingredient label and look for a brand that doesn’t contain added sugar, such as Pure Indian Foods “A Date with Tamarind,” which you can find online or in some grocery stores.Nutrition InformationServing Size: 2 1/2 cupsCalories 369, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 51g, Total sugars 20g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 14g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 890mgEatingWell.com, June 2024
Directions
Evenly divide lentils, bell pepper, cucumber, jalapeño (if using), corn and quinoa between two bowls. Drizzle with tamarind-date chutney and coriander chutney. Top with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peanuts.Ali RedmondTipsPuffed quinoa is raw quinoa that has been heated until it expands and “pops,” much like puffed rice or popcorn. This method gives the quinoa a light, crispy texture while preserving its natural nutty flavor. Look for it in well-stocked natural-foods stores or online.Tamarind-date chutney is a sweet-and-sour condiment that often contains added sugar to intensify the sweet flavor. Check the ingredient label and look for a brand that doesn’t contain added sugar, such as Pure Indian Foods “A Date with Tamarind,” which you can find online or in some grocery stores.Nutrition InformationServing Size: 2 1/2 cupsCalories 369, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 51g, Total sugars 20g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 14g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 890mg
Evenly divide lentils, bell pepper, cucumber, jalapeño (if using), corn and quinoa between two bowls. Drizzle with tamarind-date chutney and coriander chutney. Top with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peanuts.
TipsPuffed quinoa is raw quinoa that has been heated until it expands and “pops,” much like puffed rice or popcorn. This method gives the quinoa a light, crispy texture while preserving its natural nutty flavor. Look for it in well-stocked natural-foods stores or online.Tamarind-date chutney is a sweet-and-sour condiment that often contains added sugar to intensify the sweet flavor. Check the ingredient label and look for a brand that doesn’t contain added sugar, such as Pure Indian Foods “A Date with Tamarind,” which you can find online or in some grocery stores.
Tips
Puffed quinoa is raw quinoa that has been heated until it expands and “pops,” much like puffed rice or popcorn. This method gives the quinoa a light, crispy texture while preserving its natural nutty flavor. Look for it in well-stocked natural-foods stores or online.Tamarind-date chutney is a sweet-and-sour condiment that often contains added sugar to intensify the sweet flavor. Check the ingredient label and look for a brand that doesn’t contain added sugar, such as Pure Indian Foods “A Date with Tamarind,” which you can find online or in some grocery stores.
Nutrition InformationServing Size: 2 1/2 cupsCalories 369, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 51g, Total sugars 20g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 14g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 890mg
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 2 1/2 cupsCalories 369, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 51g, Total sugars 20g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 14g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 890mg
Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups
Calories 369, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 51g, Total sugars 20g, Added sugars 2g, Protein 14g, Fiber 10g, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 890mg
EatingWell.com, June 2024
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)483Calories17gFat72gCarbs20gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
