Chickpea Chana Chaat

📝 Ingredients

• 1 tin chickpeas (265 g drained)
• 1 tomato (about 120 g)
• ½ cucumber (about 150 g)
• ½ red onion (about 50 g)
• 10 g fresh coriander
• 1 lemon (½ for the salad, ½ for the chutney)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 80 g plain yoghurt 1.5%
• 2 Medjool dates (about 20 g each once pitted)
• 3 tbsp hot water (for the chutney)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Mixing bowl
• Small frying pan
• Colander
• Small bowl
• Fork
• Knife

📖 Steps

1. Make the chutney: stone the dates, cut them into small pieces and cover them with the 3 tbsp of hot water in the small bowl. Leave to soak for 5 min, then mash thoroughly with a fork with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt until you get a purée.
2. Toast the cumin in the small dry frying pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 min, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells fragrant. Tip it straight onto a plate as it burns quickly, then crush it roughly with the back of a spoon.
3. Drain the chickpeas in the colander, rinse them under cold water and shake them to dry them well. Tip them into the mixing bowl and roughly mash a handful with a fork: they will bind the salad.
4. Cut the tomato into small dice, removing the seeds if it is very juicy. Cut the cucumber into dice of the same size, finely chop the red onion and chop the coriander, keeping a few leaves for serving.
5. Add the vegetables and coriander to the chickpeas. Season with the juice of the remaining half lemon, the toasted cumin, the garam masala, salt and pepper, then mix and leave to rest for 5 min so the flavours blend.
6. Whisk the yoghurt with a fork and a pinch of salt to make it smooth and a little runnier. Taste the chaat and adjust the seasoning: it should be tangy, salty and well spiced all at once.
7. Divide the chaat between two bowls, top with a streak of yoghurt and then a drizzle of date chutney, and finish with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve immediately, while the vegetables are still nice and crunchy.