FLAMINGO CHAAT COPYCAT RECIPE
My love for this chaat knows no bounds. It is a copycat recipe of the famous establishment in Karachi known as "Flamingo". Ever since I moved to the US, I've been trying to perfect my version of this recipe. And today I share it with you. Yes it has a lot of components, but I'm telling you it is absolutely worth it. Truly hope this becomes your go to recipe for chaat. A huge thank you to my dear friend Shehar Bano for these beautiful photographs. You can find her on instagram as @Thepmpmom
Total Time:
Prep time: 1 1/2 hours
Cook time: 30 minute
Ingredients for Channa Masala:
2 tins of chick peas (these must be ready to eat)
1 tsp of rai
1 tsp of methi Dana
1 tsp of zeera
1 tsp of red chili powder
1/2 tsp of white pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp of Garam Masala
1/2 cup of tamarind water (just some soaked tamarind in hot water remove the seeds)
Oil to fry
1 cup of water
1 tea bag (any brand will do)
Method:
In a heavy bottomed pan, add a few tbsp of oil over medium high heat and fry the rai, methi daana and zeera till the rai starts to splutter. Now add in all the other ingredients (except the tea bag) and about 1 cup of water or more to your liking. Let this cook covered for about 20 minutes or more. You want the chick peas to have little or no bite to them. Once done, remove cover, and mash the mixture slightly with a potato masher. Add in the tea bag to the pot and let it cook for 5 more minutes uncovered. The tea bag gives this dish a very nice smoky amla flavor. it’s unconventional, but try it.
Remove tea bag after 5 mins, adjust seasonings as well as consistency. You can add a corn flour slurry if the mixture is too watery. This channay ka masala for the chaat must be served hot (in my personal opinion). By the way, this masala also works so well with hot parathas & puris
Meethi Red Chutney:
In a bowl add 6T tbsp of ketchup mixed with 3 tbsp of sugar. Combine till mixed and add 3 tbsp of vinegar. Adjust sweetness and thin out with water.
Meetha Dahi:
In a bowl beat one cup of yogurt with 5 tbsp of sugar or more. Thin it out with water. The consistency must be runny and not thick. Cover and refrigerate
Imli Ki Chutney:
Cook 3/4th cups of tamarind (imli) with the following. 3 tbsp of brown sugar, 1/2 tsp of kala namak, 1/2 tsp of chaat masala, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of ground and roasted cumin. Cook till thick and adjust seasonings accordingly. Store in an airtight jar and refrigerate. You can also use the bottled chutney available at local grocery stores.
Masala for sprinkling:
Dry roast 7 whole red chili, 1 tbsp of whole coriander seeds, 1 tbsp of whole cumin seeds, and a pinch of ajwain. Once fragrant and the color has changed slightly, grind it in a coffee grinder and add 1/2 tsp of chaat masala to this for flavor. Store in an airtight jar for whenever you need.
Papri:
You can buy store bought Papri. Or use wonton chips for the much needed crunch a chaat has. If I ever need to make them at home its very easy.
1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp of cumin (optional), 2 tbsp of corn flour, salt to taste. Mix all of these ingredients with water to form a dough. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes, before rolling it out into a thin sheet. Cut with a pizza cutter into thin strips. Deep fry and break up.
Phulki & Potatoes:
Pour hot water over store bought phulkis. Add a a touch of salt, place them in a heat proof bowl and cover. After 20 minutes or so, drain the water, squeeze the phulkis to remove moisture. Cut the potatoes into bite sized cubes, boil with a touch of salt and turmeric for a yellow color. Drain and set aside with the Phulki.
Onions:
The onions for a chaat are always cut width wise into wafter thin strands.
Once you’ve cut the onions, place them in cold water and drain before serving. this ensures that they're crispy.
Assembly:
If this is for a party, I like to set everything out and label it. just like a Chaat bar. People can make their chaat the way they like.
Start with the channa masala
Add in the phulki and potatoes
Top with al the chutneys and yogurt
Onions
Papri
And finish it off with a chef’s kiss of the masala. (I like a lot more than a chef’s kiss but its entirely unto you)
Enjoy
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