Papdi Chaat | Dahi Papri Chaat

Papdi Chaat or Dahi Papri Chaat is an Indian street food that offers a perfect blend of crispy, tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors. This popular chaat is made with crispy fried dough wafers (papdi) topped with a medley of chutneys, yogurt, and spices, creating an irresistible snack.

Growing up in India, enjoying chaat on the street was the best part about weekends, or meeting with my friends. It feels nostalgic writing about this now. It's been more than a decade since I left the life back in India. Chaat is my favorite cuisine. You will always find chutneys, boiled potatoes, and a can of chickpeas and sev in my pantry. Whipping up chaat for my friends and family is my flex.

Try my aloo tikki chaat or aam panna pani puri.

Jump to:

• What is Dahi Papri Chaat?
• What Is Chaat?
• Ingredients To Make The Papdi Chaat Recipe
• Step - By - Step Recipe
• Serving Suggestions
• Expert Tips To Make This Recipe
• Variations You Can Try For This Papdi Chaat Recipe
• More Recipes You Might Like From The Blog
• Papdi Chaat | Dahi Papri Chaat

What is Dahi Papri Chaat?

Papdi Chaat is a beloved Indian street food that originates from the vibrant chaat culture of North India. It is a delightful combination of crispy fried dough wafers (papdi) topped with a mix of chutneys, yogurt, and spices, creating an irresistible explosion of flavors and textures.

The word "chaat" means "to lick" in Hindi, emphasizing its finger-licking goodness. Traditionally served as an appetizer or snack, Papdi Chaat is enjoyed across India and has numerous regional variations. Its appeal lies in the balance of crispy, tangy, sweet, and spicy elements that make every bite deliciously exciting.

Papdi Chaat is a perfect dish for gatherings, festive occasions, or simply indulging in a street food experience at home. Whether preparing it for a party or just to satisfy your cravings, this guide will help you make a perfect plate of Papdi Chaat.

What Is Chaat?

Chaat is a broad category of Indian street foods that are known for their vibrant flavors, exciting textures, and irresistible taste. The word "chaat" comes from the Hindi word "chaatna," which means "to lick". It signifies how delicious and finger-licking good these dishes are. Chaat typically consists of variety of components.

Crispy fried puris, tangy chutneys, yogurt, fresh herbs, and a variety of spices to name a few. These create a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory flavors.

Originating from the streets of North India, chaat has now become popular across the country and beyond, with many regional variations. Some of the most famous chaats include Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Aloo Tikki Chaat, Dahi Puri, and of course, Papdi Chaat. Each version has its unique ingredients and preparation style. But they all share the common characteristic of being a delightful snack that excites the taste buds.

Ingredients To Make The Papdi Chaat Recipe

Papdi - Papdi or papris are light, crispy wafers made with all-purpose flour and semolina. These are easily available at an Indian grocery store near you. I use store-bought ones, to make this recipe quickly.

Boiled/ Canned Chickpeas - I always have canned chickpeas in my pantry to add them to my favorite chaat recipes. Strain, wash and let the chickpeas dry out a little before adding them to the recipe.

Boiled Potatoes - We will be adding boiled potatoes to the papri chaat. Here's how I cook my potatoes in the instant pot.

Toppings - For the toppings we will be adding, whisked yogurt, tamarind chutney, cilantro, and mint chutney. We will further add a layer of spices like red chili powder, and chaat masala. Along with it, we will add some finely chopped red onions, pomegranate arils, and finely chopped cilantro. Sev adds a delicious crunchy texture to the recipe, and makes it perfect.

Step - By - Step Recipe

1. Boil The Potatoes

Wash and scrub the potatoes well.

Add water to the steel insert pot in the Instant Pot.

Place a trivet. Place the potatoes on the trivet

Close the instant pot lid, and make sure to check the pressure valve is at the sealing position.

Press Pressure Cook, and manually adjust the time to 12 minutes.

Pressure cook the potatoes on Manual Pressure cook for 12 minutes on high Pressure.

Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, do a quick pressure release.

Open the lid carefully. Pierce a fork to check the potatoes are well done.

Take them out carefully in a bowl, using a pair of tongs.

2. Make The Chutneys

Tamarind Chutney

Here's my detailed tamarind chutney recipe.

• In a cup add seedless tamarind. To this add hot water and soak it for up atleast 30 minutes.
• Once the tamarind is soaked, using your hands squeeze the pulp, and check if there are any seeds of tamarind; if yes, take them out and discard them.
• Now add the softened tamarind, along with soaked water in a blender jar. Blitz until pureed.
• Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, and transfer the prepared tamarind pulp onto the strainer and strain it. Leave it aside.
• Now in a heavy bottom pot, add oil. Once hot , add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and asafetida.
• Once the cumin seeds splutter, add the prepared tamarind pulp, along with 1 cup of water.
• To this add jaggery powder, sugar, salt, black salt, cumin powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala and amchur (dry mango powder). 8. Mix everything well, and let the chutney simmer on a low flame.
• The sugar naturally acts as a preservative for the chutney, and it keeps well in the refrigerator for weeks.
• Simmer until the chutney thickens as per the consistency you like.

Cilantro and Mint Chutney

Here's my detailed cilantro mint chutney recipe, which works great for chaats, and serving as a side.

• Take a bunch of cilantro, and cut the rear end of the stalks. Place it in a strainer and wash thoroughly.
• Separate the mint leaves from the stalk. Wash and rinse it thoroughly.
• Prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Now to a high powered blender, add all the ingredients and grind them into a smooth sauce
• Store some in the refrigerator in an airtight container to use it during the week, and freeze the rest of the chutney for later use

3. Assemble The Papdi Chaat

Strain the chickpeas and let the dry a little bit before plating the papdi chaat.

Cut the boiled potatoes into bite-sized cubes to add them to the chaat.

Arrange a layer of crispy papdis on a serving plate.

Add boiled and diced potatoes and chickpeas on top.

Drizzle whisked curd over the papdis, followed by tamarind chutney and green chutney.

Sprinkle chaat masala, salt, and red chili powder for flavor.

Top with finely chopped onions and tomatoes.

Garnish generously with nylon sev, fresh cilantro leaves, and pomegranate seeds.

Serving Suggestions

Papdi Chaat is best enjoyed fresh and immediately after assembling to maintain its crispy texture. Serve with extra chutneys on the side and enjoy this delightful street-style treat!

Variations You Can Try For This Papdi Chaat Recipe

• Dahi Papdi Chaat: Use extra yogurt and add a pinch of sugar for a sweeter taste.
• Spicy Papdi Chaat: Add more green chutney and finely chopped green chilies for heat.
• Healthy Version: Use baked papdi instead of fried and substitute yogurt with hung curd or Greek yogurt.
• Fusion Twist: Add shredded cheese or crumbled paneer for a unique twist
• Flavor Twist - Instead of using potatoes and chickpeas, use guacamole instead to make this papdi chaat.

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