Ali Redmond
Ask me, Whats chaat?and I may well launch into a dissertation.
Chaat is a generic name for South Asian street food that comes in many forms.
Think of it as a fresh and tangy dish, sometimes spicy, but interwoven with sweet notes.
Photo:Ali Redmond
Layers of texture and flavor compete playfully and dance on your palate.
It was a delicious journey until a routine physical a few years ago.
My doctors notewhich I almost missed, skimming past the results as I usually didsaid A1C in prediabetic range.
Ali Redmond
Minimize rice, pasta, bread and sweets.
What was I supposed to eat instead?
I grew weary of eating eggs, cheese, avocado and quinoa salads.
Ali Redmond
I craved the bold Indian flavors that I had grown up with.
Until, one day, I wanted chaat.
First, I created Cucumber Papdi Chaat (which ended up in my cookbook).
This dish became something of a formula.
Somewhere along the way, I reversed my prediabetes, but realized that I could eat like this forever.
This recipe is an addition to my chaat roster.
Bhel Puri is typically made of puffed crispy rice, peanuts, veggies and tangy chutneys.
And this version screams summer, loaded with bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and corn.
Recipes like this veggie-centric chaat have become my new norm.
They usually focus on veggies and protein, with a smaller amount of starch on the side.
But most importantly, they are full of flavor.
Ask me, Whats chaat?
Drizzle with tamarind-date chutney and coriander chutney.
Top with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peanuts.
