The first time I went to India and discovered its street food was in Mumbai, when I toured the city with my friend Liloo Alim. And boy, was it ever a discovery… An explosion for the senses — the colors, the smiles that melt your heart, the genuine warmth of people, and the food. I rediscovered Indian food and learned that this is how it’s supposed to taste: with an intellectual test to it, trying to decipher which spice just hit your palate among the dozen others dancing alongside it.
There, street food takes center stage, and when you’re a “foodie,” only your stomach will stop you from tasting the multitude of dishes calling your name from every corner.
This is where I discovered chaat masala — this wonderful tangy, salty, spicy spice blend. It’s used literally everywhere: on bhel puri, roasted corn, even fresh fruit and yogurt. It’s the finishing powder on so many of these glorious street food snacks, and once you taste it, you simply can’t get enough.
I fell in love with bhel puri, a popular Indian street food snack made with crispy puffed rice, crunchy chickpea noodles, crisp fried wafers, diced potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, among other things — always finished, of course, with a generous dusting of chaat masala.
Here’s a recipe you can capture in a little jar of your own. This little spice jar is doing a lot of heavy lifting in my kitchen lately 🌶️ Tangy, smoky, a little salty — chaat masala turns everything from fruit to fries into something special.
Difficulty Level : Easy
Prep Time : 10 Minutes
Cooking Time : 2 Minutes
Grinding : 5 minutes
Yield : About 150 Grams magic powder
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Coriander seeds
1 Tablespoons Cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1 Whole Chilli
4 Cloves
2 Cardamom pods
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Teaspoon Hot chilli powder
1 Teaspoon Mango powder (Amchur)
1 Teaspoon Black salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
PREPARATION
Toast the whole spices:
Place the 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 tablespoons cumin seeds, 1 tablespoons fennel seeds, 1 tablespoons black peppercorns, 1 whole dried chilli, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, and 1 cinnamon stick in a dry pan over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until the spices become fragrant and you see a light wisp of smoke rising from the pan.
Grind to a fine powder:
Transfer the toasted spices to a mortar and pestle, or ideally a spice grinder, and grind into a very fine powder.
Blend in the finishing spices:
Stir in the 1 teaspoons hot chilli powder, 1 teaspoons mango powder (amchur), 1 teaspoons black salt, and 1 teaspoons sugar until fully combined.
Store and enjoy:
Transfer to an airtight jar and keep it on your kitchen counter, close at hand — you’ll want to reach for it often. Be ready for the most wonderful addiction.
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