Ingredients

1/4 c. ghee or butter

1/2 tsp. ajwain seeds

1/2 tsp. nigella seeds

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp. white sesame seeds

1 1/2 tsp. black sesame seeds

1/2 c. whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. black salt

6 to 8 tbsp. water

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, tender stems and leaves

1 1/2 c. mint leaves

1 large clove garlic, diced

1/4 diced yellow onion

2 green serrano peppers, sliced

1 tsp. freshly minced ginger

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. black salt

1 tbsp. packed brown sugar

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 c. water

3/4 c. tamarind concentrate

3/4 c. chopped dried dates (about 15 dates)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. red chili powder (optional)

1 tsp. freshly minced ginger

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 c. water

1 tsp. black salt

1 lb. baby potatoes, quartered

1 tsp. kosher salt

Cooked chickpeas

Yogurt

Diced red onion

Sliced red chilis (optional)

Diced tomatoes

Sev

Cilantro leaves

Pomegranate seeds

Chaat masala

Preparation

Step 1In a medium pan over medium-low heat, melt ghee. Add in seeds and toast, swirling pan occasionally until white sesame seeds are lightly golden, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.Step 2In a large bowl, mix together flours and salt. Stir in cooled ghee mixture and use your fingers to work the ghee evenly into the flour mixture.Stir in water and knead into a cohesive ball of dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.Step 3Halve dough, then roll each piece to about ⅛” in thickness. Prick dough all over with a fork, then cut out rounds using a 2” cookie cutter. Transfer to a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll all scraps together into another sheet to punch out more rounds (or fry as is for snacking!).Step 4Meanwhile, in a large pot on medium heat, heat 1” of vegetable oil to between 350° and 375°. Step 5Being sure not to overcrowd the pan, fry papdi in batches, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low if papdis are turning dark gold too soon. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining papdi.

Step 1Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Step 2Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Step 1In a medium pot over medium heat, bring all ingredients to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until dates break down and turn into a paste, about 20 minutes. Step 2Using a potato masher, mash mixture until mostly smooth. Alternatively, let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Step 3Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Step 1In a large pot over medium heat, add potatoes and salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then continue cooking until completely tender, about 9 minutes more. Drain.Step 2Once cool to the touch, remove potato skins if desired.

Step 1On a large plate, place 9 to 12 papdis in a single layer. Top with cooked potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt, tamarind-date chutney, green chutney, red onion, red chilis (if using), tomatoes, sev, cilatro, and pomegranate as desired. Sprinkle over chaat masala to taste before serving.

Papdi is a crispy flour-based wafer-like cracker that’s been mildly spiced, mixed with oil or ghee, then deep-fried. Chaat—derived from Indo-Aryan words that literally mean “tasting with fingertips” and “to devour with relish”—simply means “snack.” Papdi chaat can take on many variations, lending itself open to different toppings, condiments, and flavorings. This particular version is a monster of a delight with two chutneys, tender potatoes and chickpeas, tangy yogurt, a medley of eye-catching red onions, pomegranate seeds, diced tomatoes, and finished with a generous snowing of crunchy sev noodles. The papdi Usually made with refined white flour, this version has a touch of whole wheat flour for extra nuttiness and a hint of natural sweetness. Buttery and rich, these papdi crackers are speckled with toasted seeds: ajwain, nigella, cumin, and black and white sesame. It’s an aromatic bunch that pack a nuanced flavor: citrusy bitterness from the ajwain, onion-like savoriness from the nigella, smoky-sweetneess from the cumin, and nuttiness from the sesames. For extra crispy crackers, be sure to roll them as thin as you possibly can before cutting into rounds. The thicker the rounds, the softer, breadier the inside will be once fried. Specialty ingredients There are a few ingredients in here that might be hard to find if you don’t live near a store that carries Indian staples: ajwain, nigella, black salt, chaat masala, sev, and perhaps tamarind concentrate. While I love the flavors that ajwain and nigella give to the papdi, they’re not essential—you can use what spices you love and substitute them in, or just go with a still-delicious cumin and sesame blend. Black salt is a super special ingredient: known as kala namak, mined from the Himalayan region, and often ground into a powder, it tastes like a complex seasoning blend despite having no other spices in it. Used across much of South Asian cooking, it’s worth your time and money if you can get a hold of it. If you can’t, no worries—any salt you have on hand will do just fine. Chaat masala is a seasoning blend that often includes mango powder, black salt, chili powder and a host of other spices like dried ginger, ground coriander, ground cumin, black pepper, and asafoetida. It’s a blend that’s used frequently on snack items and street food classics, and I also love to sprinkle it on plain starches (cooked rice, beans, potatoes) as well as popcorn or even fruit. If you can’t get your hands on it, try to approximate the blend with spices available to you in your pantry. Sev is a crispy-crunchy fried snack that’s made with chickpea flour. It looks like broken noodle bits and can vary in size from super skinny “nylon” sev to thicker, sturdier, and crunchier varieties. If you can’t find sev, you can approximate the texture with some crushed-up instant ramen noodles or even crushed chips of your choosing—just be sure to season those crunchy bits with some extra chaat masala or black salt for that signature spice profile. Tamarind paste or concentrate is extremely tart and citrusy, with a subtle, earthy sweetness. If you can’t get your hands on it, or pre-made tamarind-date chutney, you can substitute in lemon or lime juice: start with about 1/3 cup and increasing to your liking if more sourness is desired. If you’ve made this recipe, leave us a note to let us know how you liked it! For more Indian flavors in your life, check out our recipes for aloo gobi and oven-baked tandoori chicken.