What best way to marry two cuisines than with creating the ultimate snack food – chaat. This Smashed Potato Chaat combines the intense burst of flavours of Indian street food with western smashed potatoes.

Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published February 2020. I’ve added new images, the recipe remains the same.

This is one of those recipes that was sort of a happy accident. I wanted to make aloo tikki but didn't have the correct potatoes - only baby potatoes. Smashed potatoes were just becoming trendy at this point, so I thought of replacing the aloo tikkis with the smashed version!

It worked so well, that it ended up with a place on the blog back in 2019. The outer crispy skin of the smashed potatoes is a bit like the crispy puri in papdi chaat. The tender potato inside is just like a fluffy aloo tikki. Basically, the perfect combination one could possibly need for chaat!

It's a bit reminiscent of another recipe made back in 2012 - our hash brown and pineapple chaat and this palak chaat which also uses a cheat method!

The Ingredients

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Smashed potatoes - I prefer to smash potatoes in the air fryer for speedy results. They'll also be super crispy this way. You can ofc just oven bake them too.

The rest of the ingredients are what you'd typically find in chaats.

Thin Sev – thin sev or nylon sev has the best texture for chaat. It is available in Indian grocery shops or Indian sweet/snack shops. If you cannot find thin sev then you can make sadi sev at home.
Imli chutney – this tangy chutney is made with tamarind and dates (to give sweetness). It is what gives the chaat its lip-smacking quality.
Green coriander chutney – this earthy and spicy chutney is made with fresh coriander, mint and chillies.
Red chaat chutney – This should be used in moderation unless you can really handle the heat!
Yogurt – Use plain yogurt that is lightly beaten and lightly sweetened with sugar
Red onion – thinly cut red onion gives the chaat crunch
Pomegranate – not only do they provide a gorgeous dash of colour, these jewels also add bite and a burst of sweet and sour. Either buy ready prepared pomegranate arils or pick the best fresh pomegranates.
Coriander leaves – finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to finish off the garnish
Chaat masala – probably the key part of chaat is the chaat masala which is aptly named! It is a spice powder mix that is sprinkled on top of the chaat and adds a tangy, zingy and salty flavour.

How to serve the chaat

The great thing about Chaat is that you can pretty much serve it however you like – there is no exact science.

Some like chaat with all of the ingredients mixed through. Others prefer layers, in which case, start with the potatoes, then the sev, then add the chutneys and other garnishings on top.

However, whatever your preference, it is best to assemble the chaat just before serving. Otherwise, the moisture from the chutneys will make the dry ingredients go soggy.

We love to gather the ingredients into large bowls. Then everyone can help themselves to build their own chaat according to their taste preference!

I love mine with extra Imli and Garlic Chutney! How do you like yours?

some sev and coriander leaves sprinkled on chaat in a plate,

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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