Who says fasting food has to be boring? These festive chaat cups are proof that vrat-friendly food can be just as fun, vibrant and satisfying. You get creamy, sweet, tangy and savory flavors in every spoonful, along with plenty of ingredients that keep you feeling full. They're a refreshing way to switch up your fasting menu!
I am in love with homemade chaat, and this year I decided to give one of my favorite snacks a Navratri-friendly spin. Each chaat cup is layered with pan-roasted sweet potatoes, crispy edged paneer, gorgeous beet yogurt, crunchy makhana(foxnuts), and a sweet-tangy date lemon chutney made especially for fasting days. There is so much color, texture and flavor in every spoonful!
About My Recipe
For toasting makhana and for pan frying sweet potatoes and paneer, I used homemade ghee, himalayan salt (or you can use sendha namak) and fresh crushed black pepper. Along with roasted & grated beetroot, I used a dash of roasted cumin powder in yogurt. That said, you can skip beets entirely if desired and keep the yogurt plain.
The ginger date chutney is one of my favorite ways to make chutney without tamarind. You will need pitted dates(I use mejdool dates), ginger, green chilli, and lemon juice along with little sugar to make it sweeter if desired.
Try to keep the sweet potatoes,paneer, cucumber & carrots diced into roughly the same size. I small dice the vegetables. This makes the chaat easier to layer and ensures you get a little bit of everything in each spoonful.
Although these chaat cups are best assembled fresh, I made a few extra and enjoyed them the next day. They still tasted fantastic! The makhana had lost some of its crunch, but the flavors were just as delicious, so I certainly didn't mind.
I've included detailed instructions for each component in the recipe card below. But trust me, all the layers are super simple and straightforward to prepare. Since we use only a handful of spices during vrat, there's very little prep involved, and everything comes together quite easily.
Ingredients
Here are the preppped ingredients you need for this recipe.
Instructions
Below are images to give you and idea of the process of making these chaat cups. In the recipe card, I am write detailed method of preparing each element that you will need to make before you put them together.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan over low-medium heat. Add diced sweet potatoes in a single layer, season with salt and black pepper, and cook until tender but not mushy.Transfer to a plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in the same pan and arrange the diced paneer in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and pan-fry until lightly golden on all sides.
3. In a serving cup, add ¼ cup beet yogurt. Layer with 2-3 tablespoon each of cooked sweet potatoes and crispy paneer.
- Spoon over diced cucumber and carrots along with green chillies.
5. Sprinkle salt over the veggies followed by a drizzle of date lemon chutney.
6. Finish the chaat cups with a handful of ghee roasted makhana and pomegranate arils. Add chopped cilantro and serve.
Layered Chaat Cups (Colorful & Vrat Friendly)
Save The Recipe!
Just enter your email and we'll send this post to you!
Ingredients
Beet Yogurt
- 1 cup plain yogurt dahi
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon grated cooked beetroot boil or roast the beets, peel and grind (see note #1 on how to)
Layering Ingredients
- 200 g paneer small dice
- 1 large sweet potato peel, wash and small dice
- 1 cup makhana fox nuts
- 3 tablespoon ghee divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder divided (adjust to taste)
- 1.5 teaspoon rock salt divided (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- 2 green chillies chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped
Date Lemon Chutney
- 6 mejdool dates pitted, roughly chopped
- ½ inch ginger roughly chopped
- 1-2 green chilli roughly chopped (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Roast The Makhana
- Heat 1.5 tablespoon ghee in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the makhana and roast for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently so they toast evenly without burning. Sprinkle with salt and freshly crushed black pepper. Continue roasting until the makhana are crisp and crunchy. To check, break one between your fingers. It should snap easily without feeling chewy in the center. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely before layering into the chaat cups.
Pan Fry Sweet Potoates & Paneer
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Once the ghee is hot, add the diced sweet potatoes, arranging them in a single layer so they cook evenly. Avoid overcrowding the pan and cook in batches if needed. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly crushed black pepper.
- Let the sweet potatoes cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes before gently turning them over. Continue pan-frying, turning the pieces occasionally, until they are lightly golden on the outside and tender all the way through. Cover for a couple minutes if needed. The sweet potatoes should hold their shape and not turn mushy, since we will be layering them in the chaat cups. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
- In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of ghee over medium-low heat. Add the diced paneer in a single layer. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly crushed black pepper. Let the paneer cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom. Gently flip the pieces and pan-fry the other sides until they develop a light golden crust. Avoid cooking the paneer for too long, as it can turn chewy. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
Make Beet Yogurt
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy. Add the roasted and grated beetroot, bhuna jeera (roasted cumin powder), salt, finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves. Mix everything until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasnings. The beetroot will give the yogurt a beautiful pink color. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Keep the consistency slightly thick. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Make Date Chutney
- Add the pitted Medjool dates, ginger, green chillies, water, sugar, salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice to a blender jar. Grind everything into a smooth, thick chutney, scraping down the sides of the jar as needed. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick to blend, but avoid making the chutney too runny. Taste and adjust the sugar, salt or lemon juice to get a nice balance of sweet, tangy and spicy flavors. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble The Chaat Cups
- To assemble the chaat cups, spoon a layer of beet yogurt into the bottom of each serving cup. Follow with the pan-roasted sweet potatoes and paneer, spreading them evenly over the yogurt. Add a layer of finely chopped cucumber, carrots and green chillies
- Drizzle the ginger date chutney over the vegetables, adjusting the amount to your taste. Top with crunchy roasted makhana, a sprinkle of pomegranate arils and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve immediately while the makhana are still crisp and crunchy.
I'd Love to Hear from You!