Every 'gully' in Delhi has a fascinating story featuring the glorious history that goes back to thousand years. Be it the monuments, the artefacts or the cuisine, the city has been attracting people from around the world with all its unique features. And if you are a foodie like us, then Delhi is just the spot for you to explore an overwhelming variety of street foods. You would find number of street vendors at every nook and corner offering different delicacies, but what tops the list is 'Dilli ki chaat'. From the simplest pani puri to the exotic palak patta chaat, there were countless options to satiate every kind of taste bud. One such option that rules the heart of Delhi is matar chaat. Boiled safed matar, mixed with onion, tomato, tangy water and some spices, the dish adds different notes of flavours on every layer.
What Makes Matar Chaat A Popular Street Food In Delhi?
1. Matar chaat is super versatile:
If you go on a food tour in Delhi, especially in Old Dilli, you would find people selling hot matar chaat from handi placed behind their bicycles. You can have the chaat as is or pair with kulcha/paratha for wholesome meal. That's not all. Some like adding deep fried papdi on the top for added crunch, while some mix it with samosa to turn it into samosa chaat.
2. Matar chaat makes for a healthy street food:
Besides being so versatile, it is considered healthy too. Wonder why? If you look into the recipe, you would find no use of oil or fried items. It is a simple and flavourful blend of boiled matar and some raw ingredients that makes it a healthy, protein-packed option to go for. You can include it in your weight loss diet, that too without any guilt.
3. Matar chaat is easy to replicate:
The best part is, you can make it at home too. The recipe is so simple that you can prepare every element from the very scratch to put together the delicacy just like the ones available at your street corner.
How To Make Dilli-Special Matar Chaat:
While we would suggest you to try the dish from a street-side vendor in Delhi, for the ones who can't step out or reside outside the city, here's a recipe you can try at home. This recipe is shared by Chef Ajay Chopra and has successfully evoked our memories of the bylanes of Delhi.
To make the dish, you need to first boil matar with some salt and turmeric. Then add raw onion, tomatoes, coriander, chaat masala, tangy chutney and some other ingredients. Mix everything together and serve. If you ask us, we like our chaat with some extra spicy and sourness, but you always adjust the amount of ingredients as per your palate. That's the beauty of chaat! It has the ability to satisfy every soul around.
Also Read: Street Food Of India: 5 Dilli-Style Chaat Recipes You Must Try
Watch the detailed recipe below:
Meanwhile, we bring you some other popular chaat options from Delhi that you must try. Click here for the recipes.