Every day after work, my abu would throw together a chaat with whatever was around. This afternoon chaat was his happy hour, and he wouldn’t even remove his shoes until he’d scarfed down a bowl. Chaat is a street food found throughout South Asia that can appear in a multitude of forms, from pani puri, which are crispy semolina shells filled with tart tamarind water, to bhel puri, a mix of puffed rice and peanuts dressed with fiery mustard oil. Anything can be a chaat as long as there’s a mix of crispy textures, acid, spice, and, of course, funky, salty chaat masala for seasoning. This chaat recipe is inspired by my father’s, and made with ingredients I have around during peak summer. Juicy ripe peaches, raw sweet corn, and roasted peanuts get tossed with aromatics and dressed in a perky nimbu pani, a spiced salty limeade. The whole thing is the perfect refreshing, recharging antidote to a day spent out in the sun. —Sohla El-Waylly
Recipe information
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stand corn upright in a medium bowl and slice off corn kernels with a sharp knife. Using back of knife, scrape along the cob to release corn milk into bowl. Add peach (making sure to get all of the juices into the bowl too), red onion, chiles, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and peanuts to bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle with pepper, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. chaat masala and toss again. Divide between shallow bowls.
Step 2
Stir lime juice, remaining 1½ tsp. chaat masala, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar in a small measuring glass until sugar is dissolved. Add ½ cup ice water and stir to combine. Divide lime water among bowls of chaat and top with aloo bhujia.
