Katori Chaat recipe is a delight to the eye, and so good as an Indian street food snack on its own with no compromise in the amount of variety of textures and flavours together in one dish. Here, "katori" refers to the Hindi word for bowl. Small, crispy, edible fried dough balls are there to be devoured by an assortment of luscious ingredients, creating a refreshing chaat. The basis of Katori Chaat is crispy, traditionally dough or bread. So those bowls are deep-fried until they are golden, crunchy, and there to balance out the many varying fillings on the plate. Baked varieties come out as healthy alternatives minus the loss of texture. Now filling the crispy katori comes with a wide array that layers the palate with flavours of excitement. A core of boiled potatoes, chickpeas (chana), and sprouts usually makes for a successful combination, making the dish soft, mildly spiced, and heartily filling. All this is given flavour with tangy tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, and a cooling yoghurt drizzle and thus full of contrasts between sweet, spicy, and sour. Chopped onions, tomatoes, and coriander add a fresh crunch, while chaat masala sprinkled on the top gives a zesty punch. One of the best attributes of Katori Chaat is the texture contrast. There is some crunch from the fried bowl, followed by the softness of the boiled item and then the smoothness of yoghurt with the toppings of sev or pomegranate seeds that add to its interesting eating experience. Katori Chaat is ideally a snack, appetizer, or even light meal. Bold flavours in combination with contrasting textures and an aesthetic presentation make Katori Chaat the darling of parties, wedding events, or street food stalls. Be it that special occasion or that thoughtfully indulgent street food venture, Katori Chaat is that treat celebrating the vibrant culture of Indian chaat.

• 1 cup maida
• 1/2 cup sooji
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cup potato
• Cumin powder
• 1 onion
• 1 cup curd
• 1 cucumber
• Chaat masala
• Coriander leaves
• Mint
• Salt
• Sev
• Pomegranate seeds
• Kashmiri red chilli

• To start the recipe of Katori chaat, mix all-purpose flour, semolina, salt, and oil in a large mixing bowl.
• Add water gradually and knead the dough soft and pliable. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Now that the dough is rested, divide them into equal-sized balls. Take each ball of dough and roll them in circular and flat round discs.
• Put a small metal katori (bowl) at the centre of the disc, cover it in the dough, and trim off its excess.
• Heat oil in a pan. Using the pan, slide the Katori with the dough into the hot oil, fry until golden brown, and flip to ensure each side is evenly fried. Once it's done remove the fried katori carefully from the metal bowl. All steps have to be repeated with the remaining dough.
• If you want a baked version, then you can bake these katoris.
• Preheat your oven to 190 C or 375 F. Place your katoris wrapped in dough in a muffin tray and bake until crispy and golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While preparing the katoris, boil the peeled and chopped potatoes in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Drain, pat them dry, and toss them into the oil.
• Fry at 375 F until crispy for 15-20 minutes or fry it deep if you wish.
• If soaking the dried chickpeas, boil them in an Instant Pot with water, salt, and a pinch of baking soda for 20 minutes on high pressure. Then, let it release naturally after 10 minutes and drain the lot out. Alternatively, you could just use canned chickpeas.
• Just drain and rinse them. Now, saut the boiled chickpeas with a little oil and season with chaat masala, salt, and roasted cumin powder.
• Boiled potatoes, chickpeas, onions which are chopped, cucumbers and green chillies mixed well together in a bowl.
• Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, salt and fresh cilantro are put together in the mixture.
• Add green chutney and tamarind chutney.
• Assemble the prepared katoris, fill them with spiced potato and chickpea mixture; keep it reasonably full. Drizzle with whisked yoghurt, green chutney, and tamarind chutney.
• Add a sprinkling of colours and flavours with sev, pomegranate seeds, and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
• Serve immediately, and enjoy the crunch of the Katori. The whole texture of that crunchy katori contrasts with the soft potatoes, while the creamy yoghurt smooths it out, making it much more exciting. Sprinkling some pomegranate seeds is a hint of sweetness; the tangy tamarind chutney and spicy green chutney add further dimensions.