Chaat cravings - 2

After our panipoori dinner I was left with flat and broken pooris, and I just had to make Masale-poori.

Each time I go to Mysore, the day I land, or the next day at the latest, I make it a point to go the friendly-neighbourhood chaat-wala and have a plate of piping hot Masale-poori. I have to admit that it always tastes better in a streetside gaadi that at a restaurant.

Masale-poori is a great comfort food. Especially so in the cooler months and in the rainy season. Crushed poori, topped with cooked dry green peas, the piping hot masale, spiced potatoes, crunchy chopped onions, tomatoes, crisp sev, sweet 'n sour chutney, a dash of yogurt and a sprinkling of chaat masala and chilli powder. Yum.... now I wish home was a short bus-ride away, or at least a direct flight away! Ah well... I can still dream of that delicious masale-poori, can't I??

The weather co-operated quite well too. It was a nice cool day. And by 5pm it was pitch dark outside, and started to get quite chilly indoors. A nice hot serving of masale-poori, a fairly decent movie on video, and we were all quite happy in our little corner of the world.

Masale-poori

Pooris
Spiced Potatoes
Tamarind-date Chutney
Chickpeas or Dry Green Peas
Masale
1/2 cup plain yogurt (beaten)
1 medium onion (chopped fine)
1 tomato (diced)
1 cup nylon sev (or plain sev)
Chaat masala to taste
Chili powder to taste
Chopped coriander or cilantro for garnish

clockwise from top left: spiced potatoes, chickpeas,
chhole-masala (the masalé), tamarind-date chutney

Chickpeas or Dry Green Peas
1 1/2 cup chickpeas (or dry green peas)

Soak and cook peas with a little salt.
Drain, and reserve 1 1/2 cup water.
Keep half the peas aside. Use other half in masale.

Masale
Cooked peas (chickpeas or dried green peas)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp chhole masala
salt to taste

Puree the peas with reserved cooking water.

Add the masalas, adjust salt to taste.
Simmer for 5 minutes.

clockwise from top: fresh beaten yogurt,
diced onions, diced tomatoes

To Assemble

Crush one handful of pooris and spread on plate.
Top with one handful each of chickpeas and spiced potatoes.
Pour 1/2 cup of masale over the peas and potatoes.
Sprinkle sev, onion and tomatoes over the masalé.
Garnish with tamarind chutney, yogurt and garnish with chopped coriander.
Sprinkle chaat masala and chili powder to taste.
Serve immediately.

Notes:
Simmer the masale just before serving. Or reheat it before serving. There's no zest in this dish if the masale isn't piping hot.