Shakarkandi Chaat (Indian Sweet Potato Street Salad)
The Delhi winter street snack. Roasted sweet potato cubes tossed warm with chaat masala, kala namak and lime, then finished with tamarind chutney, pomegranate and coriander.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Chaat
- 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes about 2 large, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon roasted ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kala namak black salt
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 lime juiced
For the Quick Tamarind Chutney
- 3 Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
- 1 teaspoon jaggery or brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon roasted ground cumin
- 1 pinch salt
To Finish
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped, also sold as cilantro
- 1 green chili thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
Roast the Sweet Potatoes
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the sweet potato cubes with the oil and a pinch of salt and spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan, leaving space between them so they roast rather than steam.
- Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once halfway, until the edges are browned and caramelized and the cubes are tender but still holding a sharp edge.
Make the Quick Tamarind Chutney
- Soak the chopped dates in the hot water for 10 minutes, then mash with a fork until thick and pulpy. Stir in the tamarind concentrate, jaggery, roasted cumin and salt. It should taste sour first and sweet second.
Dress and Serve
- Tip the hot roasted cubes into a wide bowl. Add the chaat masala, roasted cumin, kala namak, chili powder and lime juice, and toss gently, lifting rather than stirring so the cubes stay whole. Dress them while hot so the spice and acid soak in.
- Move to a serving plate. Drizzle the tamarind chutney over the top in thin lines rather than mixing it through. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, coriander and green chili.
- Serve immediately while warm, with extra chaat masala and lime on the table.
Notes
- Serve it warm: This is a winter street food. Chilled, the spices sit on the surface and the flavor goes flat.
- Chutney last, over the top: Mixed through, it soaks in and the cubes go soggy.
- Kala namak: The sulfurous black salt is what makes chaat taste like chaat. Substitute fine sea salt plus an extra ¼ teaspoon amchur, accepting that the signature note is lost.
- Boiled instead of roasted: Boil cubes 10 to 12 minutes, which is faster and authentic to many carts, but the cubes break down quickly once dressed.
- Navratri version: Replace the chaat masala and salt with sendha namak, use amchur and black pepper for seasoning, and skip the tamarind chutney.