This 72nd Indian Independence Day, my daughters’ school had organised a fund-raising event and my daughters wanted to make a couple of attractive dishes with no usage of gadgets, on the spot kind of menu. They made a group of 9 kids and chalked down ideas decided to do Nachos. One dish was nachos with dips and deciding one more item was the task. Finally, I also chipped in and after a couple of ideas we all finalised with the Nacho aloo chat.
Now started my headache of deciding on how to make it, quantity of the ingredients etc. Because quantity was huge, and preparation should happen at the early morning as well. Kids wanted to do a food photography for their banner and board to hang in their food stall. I grabbed the opportunity and thought of making Aloo chat for their group which contained 9 students. Last Sunday, made tamarind and date chutney, and went ahead with one kg of potato. So, that I would know, how many plates we can make from this much.
After preparing and plating, it turned out well and kids were happy with the dish as well as they enjoyed the activities of banner making, painting the board and food photography as well.
I was relieved and finalised the quantity. Why I made this post is – it is a perfect dish for any parties and this mixture turned out very good and as a tasty sandwich stuffing as well, with a little grated cheese.
Pic by : Aneesh Navanale
Let us see how I planned and proceeded.
Event was on Wednesday morning.
Sunday, I made tamarind and Date chutney and stored it in a fridge.
Monday, I made Mint and coriander chutney and stored it in a fridge.
Tuesday night before going to bed, cooked whole potatoes, drained and kept it for cooling.
1 kg of potato yields 10 to 12 plates of chat. So, used 5 kgs of potatoes for around 50 to 60 plates.
Wednesday morning peeled the potatoes, diced into small bits and proceeded.
Khatta Meeta tamarind and Dates chutney:
Ingredients :
Dates – 200 grams (please adjust according to its sweetness)
Tamarind – 100 grams (please use according to sourness of the tamarind)
Jaggery – As needed.
Green chillies – 2
Red chilli powder
Black Salt or Sea salt – very little
Roasted cumin powder
Method:
-Mine is home grown, hand cleaned tamarind, so I went ahead as it is. If it is store bought one, please remove any impurities.
-Boil one to two cups of water, soak tamarind and pitted dates in it.
-After an hour, grind this in a mixer grinder by adding 1 or 2 green chillies. You will get very smooth paste.
-Adjust the consistency by adding water and boil. While boiling add red chilli powder, salt, cumin powder and required amount of jaggery.
Once cooked, raw smell of dates, tamarind and jaggery is vanished, switch off the gas.
Cool completely and store it in a refrigerator.
Note:
- I usually prefer to make little thicker version. So that, if thicker or thinner version is needed, scoop out a little from this batch, adjust by adding little water.
- Adjust the ingredient according to your taste.
- One can add more jaggery if mixture is sour.
Green chutney/ Mint – Coriander chutney:
This is my basic sandwich chutney, which I usually make and store it in a fridge for an emergency use.
Ingredients:
Coriander – ½ bunch.
Pudina – 1 small bunch
Green chillies – 1 or 2
Garlic – 2 cloves
Cumin – 1 tea spoon (without roasting)
Dry mango powder – ½ tea spoon
Salt
Sugar or jaggery – ½ tea spoon
Ready sev or boondi – 2 to 3 tea spoons (to give thickness)
Method:
-Wash coriander, pudina, green chillies, drain, chop.
-Put everything and grind in a mixer grinder by adding required amount of water.
-I normally store this as a thick chutney. So that if it is sandwich, use as it is like a spread. If it is chat, adjust the consistency by adding water.
For Aloo Chat:
Pic by : Aneesh Navanale
I am giving here for the quantity of one kg potato. Which will yield approximately 12 plates of ready chat.
Ingredients:
Potato – 1 kg
Tomato – 3 (big)
Onion – 2 (big)
Lemon – ½ to 1
Green Coriander – As needed
Black salt – As needed
Cumin powder – As needed
Chat masala – As needed
Dry mango powder – As needed
Sweet chutney – As needed
Green chutney – As needed
Nacho chips – As needed
Corn mixture – As needed
Thin Sev – As needed
Method:
–Wash potato,cook whole potatoes by immersing in water by adding very little salt ( potato should absorb very little salt) for one whistle in a pressure cooker, drain and keep it for cooling.
-When it is cool, peel outer skin,dice potatoes in to small chunks. Chop onion and tomatoes in to small pieces.
-Chop coriander as well.
-Take one big bowl. Mix in chopped potatoes, onions, tomatoes.
-Pour sweet chutney, green chutney, black salt, cumin powder, chat masala, dry mango powder and lemon juice and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
-Take a serving plate, spread nacho chips at first.
-As a second layer, spread potato mixture over chips layer.
-Sprinkle corn mixture, sev , chopped coriander and serve.
Potato and cheese / Aloo Sandwich:
If this above ready mixture is available, you can make and serve awesome tasty sandwiches as well.
Just take a couple of breads. Spread aloo mixture over one bread. Grate some cheese and close with another slice of bread. Apply some butter and grill or roast it on Dosa tawa and enjoy.
