Let’s get one thing straight, folks. If anyone ever said fusion food is only for those posh chefs with big hats on cooking shows, they haven’t met this outlandishly simple (yet embarrassingly delicious) dish – the Samosa Chaat. Oh, and before we dive in, a quick heads-up: if you’re hunting for a recipe that requires a day’s worth of preparation, three minor emotional breakdowns, and maybe summoning an ancient cooking deity… well, you’re in the wrong place.
Let’s chat about the heart of this dish: the Samosa. We could channel our inner grandma, spend half a day crafting the perfect triangular delights, OR we could act like the savvy 21st-century hominids we are and just grab a bag of frozen samosas. Yea, you heard me! No rolling, no filling, just a smooth transfer from the freezer to your air fryer. Efficiency for the win!
Now onto the chickpea extravaganza. Traditionally, you’d be soaking these bad boys overnight, saying sweet nothings to get them tender. But it’s 2023, darling! Canned chickpeas to the rescue! Toss them in your magical Instant Pot with a sprinkle of spice, a dash of onions, a hint of tomatoes and in just 5 minutes (yes, FIVE. Not fifty, not fifteen), you’ve got yourself a chickpea gravy that’d make your grandma question her age-old methods.
Now, because I was feeling a little extra (and also because I wanted to flex with my new beast blender), I whipped up a zesty cilantro chutney. You can imagine me, in my kitchen, blender roaring, feeling like the culinary version of a rock star. But hey, if your rockstar vibes are more “store-bought and chill”, snag that ready-made cilantro and date chutney. Zero judgments here. After all, it’s the chaat that matters, not the chase!
Combine these three epic components and you have a dish that screams, “Why didn’t we meet sooner?!” Crispy samosas, soaked in that mouth-watering chickpea gravy, drizzled with the tantalizing chutney. It’s the kind of meal perfect for those nights when you’re too tired to even decide what show to binge on Netflix, let alone cook a gourmet dinner.
But wait, there’s more! Planning a get-together for Diwali or just a fun weekend bash? This Samosa Chaat is the life of the party. Set your Instant Pot on “keep warm”, lay out a chaat station, and watch as your guests transform into DIY chefs, assembling their plates, and probably taking more selfies with the food than they would with you (don’t be jealous, it’s the chaat’s charisma, not yours).
In a nutshell, if you’re all about delicious, no-fuss meals, and enjoy a good laugh while cooking (and eating), this fusion Samosa Chaat is right up your alley.
To all the culinary adventurers out there, here’s a toast to breaking traditions, embracing convenience, and making meals that not just fill our bellies but also tickle our funny bones! Dive into this fusion feast and let your taste buds do the chaat cha-cha!
1 tsp each: turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, chaat masala, red chili powder
1 (14oz can) chick peas – drained and rinsed
1 cup water
Assembly
Samosa’s (I used Deep’s frozen samosa’s)
Cilantro chutney
Date chutney
Chopped cilantro
Thin Sev
Pomegranate seeds
Chaat masala
Instructions
Select saute and preheat the IP. Add oil, cumin seeds and bay leaf. Cook for 30 seconds and add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes.
Next add the minced ginger, garlic and finely chopped chili and saute another 1 minute.
Add diced tomatoes along with the spices. Stir and cook for a minute.
Next add the chick peas and water. Stir until everything is combined.
Turn off sauce, close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure on sealing mode.
Wait 5 minutes after pressure cooking and then release the pressure manually. Open the lid after the pin drops. Stir and add in the cilantro.
Assemble: Add the chick pea gravy to a shallow bowl/dish and add the cooked samosa’s along with the chutneys, sev and sprinkle of chaat masala. Enjoy!
Notes
I like to air fry the samosa’s at 360F for 6 mins while the chick pea gravy is being cooked.
If the gravy is too thin, simple cook on sauté mode for 3-5 mins until it starts to thicken up.
You can soak chick peas over night and use in this recipe, but if you’re like me and forget to soak them over night you can just use canned chick peas for this recipe.
For soaking: Soak 1 cup of dried chick peas to equal to 14oz.
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
