Free How to Cook Indian by Sanjeev Kapoor Page B

the skewers and shred it.
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, bell peppers, onion, chiles, half of the cilantro, the lemon juice, chaat masala, mango (if using), and salt and toss to mix well.
5. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with the remaining cilantro, and serve.
To get ½ cup (135 grams) drained yogurt, pour ¾ cup (200 grams) plain yogurt into a square of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth, gather up the ends, and tie. Hang until all the water is drained, 30 to 40 minutes.

A chaat is a snack that features the tastes of Indian cuisine— khatta (sour), meetha (sweet), teekha (spicy), and chatpata (tangy)—all on one plate. Embedded in Indian culture, chaat is a street food that is eaten at any time of the day. There are food carts, tea stalls, and mobile snack vendors on almost every street corner. The chaat vendor will mix up a treat for you—such as a dahipapdi chaat (page 86)—and then sprinkle it with chiles for heat, or drizzle on some tamarind chutney for sourness, or dollop it with some yogurt for a cooling effect, or dust it with more chaat masala (page 24) for flavor—all according to your specifications.
Chaats are complete sensory experiences, so when the bhel puri (page 84) is tossed and mixed and served to you on a little plate, do not eat it immediately: Take a deep breath and savor the mouthwatering aromas, take a few seconds to listen to the light crackling sound as the chutneys make their way into the spongy puffed rice . . . and then start eating!

Aloo Kachalu Chaat
Famous potato chaat
When we were kids we used to sing a silly Hindi rhyme that began, “Aloo kachalu” (potatoes and sweet potatoes) and then went on about them being put in the basket with an eggplant that kicked them out. Anyway, I think the potatoes and sweet potatoes are wonderful where they are here: in a chaat, with no eggplant within miles of them!
Serves 4.
1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon table salt
1 large ripe banana
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes
1 large sweet potato, boiled, peeled, and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp
2 green chiles, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon chaat masala (spice mix for chaat; page 24)
¼ cup (40 grams) fresh pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1. Put the ginger in a small bowl, add ½ teaspoon of the lemon juice and a pinch of the salt, and set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Peel and cut the banana into 1-inch (2½-cm) pieces. Put them in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice.
3. Add the potatoes and sweet potato, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the tamarind pulp, chiles, chaat masala, the remaining salt, the pomegranate arils, and cilantro. Toss gently to combine.
4. Serve garnished with the ginger.
    Aloo Chaat Dilli Style
A tangy potato snack
This recipe will transport you to the capital of India. Delhi, known as “Dilli” in the local dialect, has two sections: Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi is still the stronghold of eateries that boast the old style of Mughal cooking. New Delhi is replete with contemporary restaurants and street food. This snack, sold on the roadside, is best eaten just after the potatoes are cooked, while they’re still crisp.
Serves 4.
1-inch (2½-cm) piece fresh ginger, julienned
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
5/8 teaspoon table salt
3 medium potatoes, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) cubes
1 quart (800 ml) vegetable oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon black salt (page 586)
½ teaspoon chaat masala (spice mix for chaat; page 24)
½ teaspoon red chile powder
¼ teaspoon ground roasted cumin (page 32)
2 green chiles, stemmed and diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1. Put the ginger in a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of the table salt, and stir well. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Put the potatoes in a bowl