From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chaat (Hindi: चाट) is plate of savoury snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or carts in India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia. The word derives from Hindi cāṭ चाट (tasting, a delicacy), from cāṭnā चाटना (to taste), from Prakrit caṭṭei चट्टेइ (to devour with relish, eat noisily)[1].
The chaat variants are all based on fried dough, with various other ingredients. The original chaat is a mixture of potato pieces, crispy fried bread, gram bean and spices, but other popular variants included Aloo Tikkis (garnished with onion, coriander, hot spices and a dash of curd), bhel puri, dahi puri, panipuri, dahi vada, papdi chaat, and sev puri. There are common elements among these variants including dahi, or yogurt; chopped onions and coriander; sev (small dried yellow noodles); and chaat masala. This is a masala, or spice mix, typically consisting of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, black salt, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl.
[edit] History
Most chaats originated in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, but they are now eaten across South Asia. Some are results of cultural syncretism - for instance, pav bhaji reflects a Portuguese influence, in the form of a bun, and bhel puri was created by a Gujarati migrant to Mumbai.
[edit] Regions
In cities where chaat is popular, there are popular chaathouses or dhabas, such as Mumbai's Chowpatty Beach. The chaat specialities vary from city to city. Chaat from Agra & Mathura are famous throughout India. In Hyderabad, chaat is mostly prepared by vendors hailing from Bidar, and is different in taste.
[edit] Specialities
[edit] References
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary. Chaat. Mar. 2005 Online edition. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
