Spicy affair

It’s been a season of bingeing, what with the festivals of Lohri and Sankranti which are synonymous with til ladoos, gajak, rewari, all yummy goodies but fattening too! Then it was also the wedding season ... so more mithai and of course added to that it was winters, the cold weather  makes you all the more ravenous and one can't seem to have enough of  the seasonal specialties like methi and cauliflower paranthas.

I was loathed to step on the weighing scale knowing that it wouldn't lie, healthy eating was in order, starting with breakfast and what could be better than munching on sprouts which are packed with nutrition, taste good and are easy to prepare, just need a dash of lemon and some chaat masala and pronto they are ready.

Chaat masala is a mix of spices that can be sprinkled on almost anything from fresh fruits, to snacks, to pakoris (fritters) and even fries, the tangy flavor adds a lot of zing to any dish. It’s the perfect seasoning for all kinds of chaat and is an integral part of Indian street food - like alu chaat and sweet potato chaat (a winter specialty).

One can go in for the readymade mix but if you, like me, are partial to eating freshly ground masalas (spices) then here is a tasty, spicy chaat masala recipe for you. Buy good quality whole spices and grind them individually before making the chaat masala. I make it in small batches so that the freshness remains.

Whole spices 

CHAAT MASALA

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (roasted and powdered)

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon dry ginger (ground)

1/4 teaspoon dry mint (powdered)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

1 teaspoon black salt

3 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchoor)

1 teaspoon salt

Mix the powdered spices and store in an airtight container. This condiment keeps well for a long time. The taste and flavor of home ground spices is unparalleled and having tasted it once you will be hooked to making this masala at home. The very taste of this Indian seasoning does wonders to virtually any dish! Try it and you would stop buying the processed mix variety.