Dishoom House Chaat Recipe

Prepare sweet potato

Peel and coarsely grate the sweet potato, then squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or fine sieve. Measure about 2 cups of loosely packed grated sweet potato.

Make batter

In a bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cornflour, baking powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, 1 tsp salt and black pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup water gradually to form a thick, slightly sticky batter. Fold the grated sweet potato into the batter until evenly coated.

Fry fritters

Heat a wide frying pan over medium heat and add vegetable oil to come about 3–4 mm up the side. Test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle. Scoop about 2 tbsp of mixture per fritter and flatten slightly into rounds. Fry in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp, adjusting heat as needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain and keep warm in a low oven (about 90°C / 200°F) while you finish remaining fritters.

Soak oats

Place 1/2 cup rolled oats in a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit 5–10 minutes until softened, then gently mash with a fork so the oats integrate into a creamy texture.

Make oat yoghurt

In a mixing bowl combine the soaked oats, 1 cup plain yoghurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey), 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until smooth and chill briefly (5–10 minutes) so it is cool when plating.

Prepare vegetables

Trim and thinly slice radishes, julienne the carrot, peel and finely dice the raw beetroot, and roughly chop coriander. If using, finely chop the green chilli. Combine the beetroot, radish, carrot, coriander, and pomegranate seeds in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp chaat masala and 1/4 tsp black salt; toss gently to combine.

Make tamarind drizzle

Stir together 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 2 tbsp warm water and 1 tsp brown sugar until smooth and pourable. Adjust sweetness or tang to taste. If too thick, add a little more warm water.

Place 3–4 warm sweet potato fritters on each serving plate. Spoon a generous amount (about 2–3 tbs) of the cool oat yoghurt over and around the fritters so you get a contrast of warm and cold.

Heap a spoonful of the pomegranate-beetroot-radish-carrot salad on top of each pile of fritters so the colours and textures mingle.

Drizzle the tamarind sauce lightly over the top in a zigzag, then finish with a light dusting of extra chaat masala if desired and a final sprinkle of chopped coriander and a few extra pomegranate seeds for brightness.

Serve immediately so the fritters remain crisp while the oat yoghurt stays cool and the salad fresh.