This easy Chana Chaat recipe results in chickpeas that are deliciously spicy, sweet, tangy, savoury and very moreish! We also love using Chana Chaat for a stuffed acorn squash filling as the spicy chickpeas go so well with the creamy fruity squash. You can also replace the acorn squash with butternut squash, winter squash or small pumpkins, courgettes [zucchini], or bell peppers.
The Spicy Chickpeas can be eaten chilled from the refrigerator for a quick snack, or warmed up and scooped over a baked potato, or as a side-dish along with a tasty curry. We have also provided a big bowlful of Chana Chaat for our Bollywood class Diwali parties, and they were given the seal of approval from our fabulous Indian dance instructor, so its also good for parties, pot-lucks, and buffet spreads!
Chana Chaat can be served chilled along with a salad, used as a dip and scooped up with crisps or tortilla chips, as a side-dish, a starter dish, or even enjoyed as a quick snack straight from the refrigerator. It is also quite delicious as an filling for pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, courgette [zucchini] boats, stuffed aubergine [eggplant] or vegetable marrow, or bell peppers.
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❓ What is Chana Chaat?
Chana Chaat, is an ancient Indian dish which features chickpeas flavoured with a blend of tasty spices and other ingredients such as - turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, mango powder, Chaat masala powder, fresh chilli peppers, tamarind, mango chutney, fresh mint, mint sauce, tomatoes, and sometimes potatoes. Although some cooks will add other ingredients as there are countless variations of Chana Chaat and no two recipes are ever completely identical.
It's also important to note that Chana Chaat is not limited to India as it's also popular in Pakistan and other South Asian countries, so there are many more variations between different countries, for example, some Pakistani versions might use pomegranate seeds or yogurt, whereas Indian versions might lean more towards types of chutneys. Despite this, the essence of Chana Chaat lies in its spicy, tangy, and sweet flavour profile, which are often balanced with the cooling effects of mint or yogurt.
So, while Chana Chaat may have roots in Ancient India, it's loved and made in many forms across the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan. It's a dish that has transcended geographical boundaries, much like the love for good food does.
You can prepare Chana Chaat using either ordinary chickpeas or Kala Chana, which are small, black chickpeas indigenous to India where they are also known as - desi chickpeas. Kala Chana are quite delicious and do make any dish stand out, but they may be difficult to source depending on where you live. We managed to get a few cans of Kala Chana from Amazon, UK and they are different to ordinary chickpeas but still pretty tasty. You can also purchase packages of dried Kala Chana.
Chana Chaat dates back to Ancient India and the word Chaat refers to 'delicacy' and translates to 'cat'. The word cat refers to the way a cat delicately licks its paws after eating tasty food while Chana translates to chickpea. So in essence, Chana Chaat means tasty chickpeas! And we totally agree!
Chana Chaat served on a bed of salad leaves or spinach, along with some mango chutney, and a few crisp crackers or poppadum's, can be a deliciously easy starter meal for a special dinner party for Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive occasion.
🪔 Our Chana Chaat recipe
This recipe for Chana Chaat is not an authentic Indian recipe but an adaptation of a recipe that was provided by our cookery teacher, a few years ago, when I was on a Professional Cookery course at my local college.
I couldn't recall the recipe completely so from memory I have re-created it as it was by far one of my favourite recipes from college. No recipe author was provided with the college recipe but the recipes the tutor used were all taken from professional Chef college level textbooks or had been part of the college curriculum for many, many years.
A few years ago I was a member of a local Bollywood dance group led by a wonderful Indian dance teacher and we had quite a few get-togethers to appreciate the Indian festival of lights Diwali. I prepared this recipe for Chana Chaat many times and it always went down a treat especially with the Indian dance teacher.
I absolutely love eating Chana Chaat by the spoonful straight from the refrigerator as it makes for such a flavour packed snack, as well as provides lots of fond memories of my college days as well as of my Bollywood dancing days, Diwali parties, and lovely dance instructor. I would love to know what you think of the Chana Chaat so do drop a comment below this post after you try it! Thanks so much, love Jacq x
🍴 Stuffed roasted Acorn Squash
As much as we love Chana Chaat on its own or for a side, its also pretty tasty as a stuffing for acorn squash, butternut squash, courgettes [zucchini], aubergines [eggplants], bell peppers, or even large tomatoes or flat mushrooms.
We sourced a few nice looking acorn squashes from Lidl [UK] and wanted to do something special with them for a festive dinner. Preparing the squash for stuffing is really easy and we have outlined the how-to process with step-by-step photos which you can find further down this page.
🥘 Ingredients
For the Chana Chaat, the ingredients you will need are - coconut oil [or veggie stock], canned or cooked chickpeas, onion, fresh tomato, garlic, fresh or dried ginger, tomato puree, chilli powder, curry powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, fresh coriander [cilantro] mango chutney, jarred mint sauce, tomato ketchup, and salt & pepper.
If preparing the stuffed acorn squash, the ingredients you will need for 4 servings are - ready prepared Chana Chaat, 2 acorn squash, garam masala, vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes. We also use fresh spinach to line the baked squash before the filling is added, but this is optional.
However, as an alternative, you can use your own preferred stuffing for the roasted acorn squash and omit the Chana Chaat.
🔪 How To Prepare
Step 1: Cook the onions and cumin seeds in coconut oil for 8-10 minutes.
Step 2: Stir through the garlic, ginger, chilli powder, curry powder, turmeric, tomato paste, and fresh tomatoes.
Step 3: Season with salt and black pepper, give everything a good mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the chickpeas and 8 tablespoons of water and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 5: While the chickpeas cook, mix together the mango chutney, mint sauce, tomato ketchup, and garam masala in a bowl.
Step 6: Mix the sauce into the chickpeas, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 7: Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir through the coriander [cilantro]. Either enjoy warm or once cooled, store in the refrigerator and enjoy chilled along with any meal. Or prepare our tasty stuffed acorn squash.
🔪 How to prepare stuffed roasted acorn squash
For this recipe you can replace the acorn squash with butternut squash, courgette [zucchini], aubergine[eggplant], vegetable marrow, bell peppers, large tomatoes, large mushrooms and any other veggie that's suitable for stuffing.
If you use another vegetable for stuffing then you may need to adjust the baking time as other veggies may need longer or less time initial baking to become fork tender.
You could even blanch some large cabbage leaves and use the Chana Chaat to prepare tasty cabbage rolls.
Step 1: Half the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle the insides with a few pinches of garam masala or curry powder.
Step 2: Score the insides of the squash with a sharp knife and place the squash face down on a baking tray.
Step 3: Place the baking tray in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
Step 4: Once cooked the squash are ready to stuff with the Chana Chaat or indeed any filling you prefer.
Step 5: Line each squash with a layer of spinach (optional) before filling the squash with the filling.
Step 6: Sprinkle over some shredded vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes.
Step 7: Bake until the cheese melts and everything is piping hot and the squash is nice and soft.
Step 8: Serve with optional sides of extra mango chutney, extra spinach or a tasty crisp salad. For a festive dinner, roast potatoes, roast veggie mix, or your choice of veggie sides are tasty accompaniments.
📖 Recipe Notes
Storing
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, within a covered container, for up to 3-4 days. Or frozen for 2-3 months.
Reheating
Leftovers can be placed in a non-stick pan along with a little extra water to loosen up the sauce just enough to be able to simmer gently until piping hot.
Or add the leftovers to a Wok or skillet along with some melted coconut oil or other oil, and similar to a stir-fry, stir frequently until piping hot.
📋 FAQ'S
Yes, although do check all your spice seasonings to ensure that no gluten ingredients were added such as flour or wheat ingredients which sometimes are added to thicken the mix.
Also check the tomato ketchup, mango chutney and mint sauce just to be safe that they are also free from gluten ingredients.
Finally, if replacing the coconut oil with vegetable stock do ensure that the stock is also gluten-free.
Yes, Chana Chaat is perfect for meal prep as it can be stored for 3-4 days and added to salads bowls, used as a filling for tortilla wraps, or as an accompaniment for any meals especially curries, or baked potatoes throughout the week. Pack a small tub of Chana Chaat and take it to have along with work lunches, school pack up, picnics, etc. Batching 2-3 lots is a great time saver, and any leftovers can be frozen.
Chana Chaat can be enjoyed on its own as a delicious snack or served along with your favourite curries such as Saag Aloo [potatoes & spinach], Aloo Gobi [potatoes & cauliflower], Vegan Jalfrezi Curry, or Red Lentil and Kale Dalh.
Its also tasty enjoyed with salads, green veggies, roasted veggie mix, sweet potato chips or fries, chapatis, naan breads, home-made flatbreads, poppadum's, lentil crackers, rice, noodles, baked potatoes, bhajis, pakoras, or samosa's.
You could even add a tablespoon or two to our Bombay Potato Soup for a flavour and texture boost.
Extra mango chutney, mint sauce or mint pickle, cucumber raita, or a few scoops of plant-based yogurt are all tasty accompaniments.
Yes, you can use dry chickpeas but you will need to cook them first before using in the recipe. You can always use the dry chickpea package cooking instructions, but some packages may not have those so here is a useful guide for cooking dry chickpeas:
Step 1. First, Soak the dry chickpeas in plenty of water overnight, or at least for 6-8 hours. This will help soften them and reduce the cooking time.
Step 2: After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them in a pot with fresh water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let them simmer until they are tender. This could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how old your chickpeas are.
Step 3: Once the chickpeas are cooked and tender, drain them well before using them in a recipe.
Step 4: Keep in mind that dry chickpeas will roughly double or triple in size once soaked and cooked. So, if your recipe calls for two cans of chickpeas, you'll want to start with about 1 to 1.5 cups of dry chickpeas.
Yes, you can use any cooked pulse such as black beans, Kala Chana [black chickpeas], cannellini beans, haricot beans [navy beans], borlotti beans, butterbeans, kidney beans, or even whole brown or green lentils although the texture of the finished Chana Chaat will be different if lentils are used. Alternatively, small cubes of diced tofu or tempeh could be used.
If you don't have mango chutney you could replace it with one of the following - tamarind chutney, tamarind paste, applesauce, onion chutney, tomato chutney, or a lemon or lime pickle. However, the flavour of the finished Chana Chaat will be different and you may need to add extra spice or more of the other ingredients until the flavours are nicely balanced to your liking.
Yes, the beauty of Chana Chaat is its is easily adjusted so you can adapt the spiciness to how you like it. Our recipe is not on the spicy side but you can reduce or add to the spice levels.
To make it spicier simply increase the amount of chilli powder used, or opt for a medium or hot variety instead of mild. Other methods are adding some fresh chilli peppers along with the other ingredients, or a few pinches of cayenne pepper, or garnishing with some red chilli flakes for extra spice.
To make it milder you can use less chilli powder or you could also add a bit more of the mango chutney or tomato ketchup to balance out the heat, which would give you more sweetness to counteract the spiciness. Alternatively, serve some plant-based yogurt or sour cream on the side as a refreshing way to reduce the spicy flavours.
To make this Chana Chaat oil-free, you can replace the tablespoon of coconut oil (or any other oil you might use) with ½ cup of vegetable stock. You'd use this stock in the same way you'd use the oil, for sautéing the onions, cumin seeds, and other spices.
This allows you to cook the ingredients without adding extra fat while keeping all the flavourful elements intact. Just heat the vegetable stock in your non-stick pan over medium heat before adding the onions and cumin seeds, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Of course not. Perhaps you're just looking for a recipe on how to roast and prepare an acorn squash for stuffing, so feel free to just use those instructions and use your own preferred stuffing mixture.
If you don't want to use vegan cheese there are a few tasty alternatives such as - nutritional yeast flakes, flaked almonds, chopped mixed nuts, chopped cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or brazil nuts, crushed poppadum's, sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds, seasoned breadcrumbs, fresh herbs such as coriander, parsley, chives, or mint. You could choose one of these options or combine a few.
Other veggie options include any variety of small pumpkin, winter squash, spaghetti squash, Portobello or Flat mushrooms, or large hollowed out tomatoes.
Other ideas include preparing zucchini boats which are courgette's that have been halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, and the stuffing added.
Aubergines can be treated in much the same way by halving lengthways and scooping out some of the flesh to create some room for the stuffing. You can always stir through the scooped out aubergine through the filling so that it is not wasted.
If using spaghetti squash, half the squash, remove the seeds, and once roasted, you can fluff up the insides into noodle-like strands and then mix that through the Chana Chaat filling.
Oh yes, Chana Chaat makes for a delicious cabbage roll filling! Here's a useful guide to preparing cabbage rolls but of course you can always use your preferred recipe and just use the Chana Chaat as the alternative filling.
Step 1: Boil a large pot of water and blanch whole cabbage leaves for about 2-3 minutes until they're softened but still have a bit of a bite. Alternatively, you can steam the leaves until they're bendy but not too tender.
Step 2: Once the leaves are blanched, drain them well and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Step 3: If the middle vein or stalk of each leaf is too thick, you can trim it down a bit using a knife to make the leaves easier to roll.
Step 4: Place a good amount of your Chana Chaat onto the center of each cabbage leaf.
Step 5: Fold in the sides and roll up the leaves, making sure the filling is securely wrapped.
Step 6: Place the rolls seam-side down in a baking dish. You can add a splash of tomato sauce or any sauce of your choice to the bottom of the dish for added flavour and to prevent sticking. We like to use some seasoned tomato passata or canned diced, chopped, or crushed tomatoes. You can also add some of the sauce to the top of the cabbage rolls.
Step 7: Cover with foil or add a lid to your baking dish if you have one, and bake in a hot oven until everything is heated through, start with 15-20 minutes and then check how its going.
Optional topping: For an extra layer of flavour, you could top the cabbage rolls with some more mango chutney, a creamy white sauce or a curry sauce, or even a sprinkle of vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes before putting them in the oven.
Serve: Once out of the oven, they're ready to be enjoyed hot, with perhaps some extra sauce or a side salad. They are also pretty tasty chilled from the refrigerator for a quick snack.
💭 Three Top Tips
- Once cooked, allow the Chana Chaat to marinade in its own spices and sauces for a couple of hours before serving or using as a filling. This allows the chickpeas to really soak in all the lovely flavours, making the dish even more tasty.
- If you enjoy a bit of crunchy texture, adding some chopped cucumbers, diced red onions, or garnish with some crushed poppadoms right before serving.
- While the recipe already calls for fresh coriander, more fresh herbs are always a good thing! Try adding a sprinkle of freshly chopped mint, coriander, chives, or spring onions [green onions] right before serving.
⭐ More chickpea recipes
We love chickpeas and Indian spices so we have a few more recipes featuring these delicious ingredients. Such as this Creamy Scrambled Chickpeas which makes a quick and easy lunch served over toasted bread or stuffed into a wholemeal pitta bread along with salad bits.
We also love this lovely spiced Vegan Coronation 'chicken' Chickpea either as a stand-alone salad along with crisp salad leaves or as a tortilla wrap or sandwich filling.
And for dinner our easy Slow Cooker Tikka Masala is always a family favourite and is prepared with the delicious combination of cauliflower and chickpeas. We are also very fond of this Thai Red Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Chickpea Curry as its just got the best blend of flavours and tasty veggies.
⭐ More squash or pumpkin recipes
Got lots of squash or pumpkins to use up? That's the best part of Halloween season - all the tasty fun looking squashes and pumpkins! Also as larger pumpkins can do for several different meals they are incredibly budget-friendly. You can add any leftover pumpkin or squash to any veggie recipe you like especially chilli's, curries, soups and stews even if the recipe doesn't call for it.
A few of our favourite recipes that can use any variety of pumpkin or squash including acorn squash, butternut squash, are this Roast Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup, and this Harvest Pumpkin and Lentil Pie [or flan!]. And for a vegan cheesy sauce you can incorporate pumpkin or squash into this amazing Butternut Squash and Lentil Lasagna.
Finally, for a sweet treat do try this deliciously easy and moist Pumpkin Spice Fruitcake as its just so good for a fall, autumn, Thanksgiving or Halloween treat along with a Chai tea or pumpkin spice latte!
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
The Easiest Chana Chaat (With A Stuffed Acorn Squash Option)
Equipment
- non-stick pan
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
- Baking tray optional, for roasting squash
Ingredients
Chana Chaat:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil [or your preferred oil, or replace with ½ cup of veggie stock]
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion [small diced]
- 2 medium fresh tomato [small diced]
- 4 cloves garlic [small diced or minced, use more cloves especially if the cloves are small, or use 2 teaspoons garlic powder or puree]
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree [tomato paste]
- 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder [or replace with medium or hot variety as preferred]
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder [such as Madras curry powder]
- 1 inch fresh ginger [minced or fine grated, or replace with 1 teaspoon of ginger powder or 2 teaspoons of ginger puree]
- ¼ teaspoon salt [plus black pepper]
- 8 tablespoons water
- 2 cans chickpeas [2x 400g [14oz] cans, or 480 grams cooked chickpeas]
Mix together:
- 2 tablespoon mango chutney [plus extra to serve if liked]
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 2 teaspoon mint sauce [the ordinary one from a jar]
- ½ teaspoon garam masala spice powder
Stir through at the end of cooking:
- 15 grams fresh coriander [cilantro, chopped]
Stuffed Acorn or butternut squash, optional:
- 2 acorn squash [or 2 butternut squash, halved and seeds scooped out]
- ½ teaspoon garam masala spice powder [optional]
- 50 grams fresh spinach [optional, for lining the squashes]
- 50 grams vegan cheese [shredded, or replace with about ½-1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes for each squash half]
Instructions
Prepare the Chana Chaat:
- Heat the oil or vegetable stock in the non-stick pan over a medium heat.1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Add the onions and cumin seeds and cook for 8-10 minutes, over a low-medium, stirring frequently, until soft and gaining a little colour.2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 1 medium onion
- Next add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, mild chilli powder, turmeric, tomato puree, and fresh chopped tomato. Sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring.2 medium fresh tomato, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 inch fresh ginger, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pour in the 8 tablespoons of water and add the chickpeas. Mix well and cook for a further 5 minutes, give it a stir every now and again.8 tablespoons water, 2 cans chickpeas
Meanwhile prepare the sauce:
- Add the mint sauce, mango chutney, tomato ketchup and ½ teaspoon of garam masala to a bowl and mix well.2 tablespoon mango chutney, 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 2 teaspoon mint sauce, ½ teaspoon garam masala spice powder
Finish the Chana Chaat:
- Stir the sauce mixture into the chickpeas and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the fresh coriander. Taste the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. We don't usually need any more seasoning but its all personal preference.15 grams fresh coriander
- Enjoy the Chana Chaat hot or cool and store in the refrigerator.
Prepare acorn squash for stuffing: (this is optional)
- Preheat the oven to 180 Fan, 200 Celsius, 392 Fahrenheit, or Gas 6.
- Half the squash and scoop the seeds out. Scrape away any stringy bits of squash to create a cavity suitable for stuffing.2 acorn squash
- Score the inside of the squash so that it looks like a grid. Sprinkle a few pinches of garam masala into each squash half.½ teaspoon garam masala spice powder
- Place the squash face down onto a baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper if required, and bake for 30-35 minutes until the squash is soft. Larger squash may require extra roasting for the inside to become fork tender.
Prepare the stuffed roasted squash: [you can use your own filling for the stuffing and omit the Chana Chaat]
- Season the inside of the squash with salt and pepper.
- Add a layer of fresh spinach to the insides of each squash.50 grams fresh spinach
- Scoop up tablespoons of Chana Chaat and pack it into each squash half.
- Sprinkle the top with grated vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes. Alternatively replace with some flaked almonds, chopped cashews, chopped peanuts, breadcrumbs, crushed poppadum crumbs, etc.50 grams vegan cheese
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until everything is heated through and piping hot and the cheese or topping is melted, crispy, and toasted. If the pre-roasted squash or Chana Chaat are chilled then the cooking time may need extended.
Serving suggestion:
- Serve with extra spinach, side salad, extra mango chutney, mint sauce or pickle, or some plant-based yogurt. A sprinkle of red pepper or chilli flakes is a tasty addition.
Notes
- Nutritional data is provided for guidance only and is not intended to be an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
- Leftover Chana Chaat can be stored in the refrigerator within a covered container for up to 3-4 days.
- Or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat leftovers by adding to a non-stick pan, along with a little water to loosen the sauce, and reheat over a medium heat until piping hot. Stir frequently. Or heat a little oil in a Wok or pan and stir-fry the chickpeas until piping hot.
- Leftovers can be enjoyed chilled straight from the refrigerator. All the flavours are so intense when chilled.
- For gluten-free Chana Chaat ensure that all the spices and sauces are free from gluten ingredients, and if replacing oil with vegetable stock make sure the stock is gluten-free.
- This Chana Chaat recipe serves between 4-8 depending on whether its used for a stuffed veggie recipe or used as a side, or as part of a buffet or pot-luck spread.
- If preparing the optional stuffed roasted acorn squash, the squash can be replaced with butternut squash, spaghetti squash, winter squash, small pumpkins, courgette, aubergine, large mushrooms, or large tomatoes. See the recipe notes above this recipe for more guidance.
- To prepare cabbage rolls with the Chana Chaat as a filling check out the recipe notes above this recipe for an easy method.
- For more useful recipe notes and FAQ's do have a look at our recipe notes and FAQ section above this recipe card.
Nutrition
💬 Comments
Prepared our Chana Chaat recipe? Or the Stuffed Acorn Squash? We would love to know how you got on with the recipe, so do pop back and drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. Thanks so much, Love Jacq x
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