Shakarkhand/Sweet Potato Chaat

This is a simple and delicious street food made with sweet potatoes with bold flavors! This can be made easily in regular as well as in vegan versions.

Have you tasted sweet potatoes roasted on coal? If you haven’t, you must try it. I have tasted these and they are just divine. The smoky flavor is outrageously delicious! This is the time that sweet potatoes are in season in India, andmany roadside food vendors may be selling these. To top it, a chaat (a mouth watering dish made with mouth puckering spice mix and chutneys) made with these sweet potatoes are common too. That is heavenly in flavors. Here is a version where you could enjoy the sweet potatoes in a chaat form cooked in your oven.

What is so special about this chaat?

Well, it’s simplicity and the bold flavors. This chaat makes anyone love the  humble sweet potato that is rich in nutrition.

What are the necessary ingredients to make this chaat?

Sweet potatoes of course! Any variety of sweet potato can be used. I have tried making these with the purple ones (they are a little sweeter), but work great in this chaat.

Chaat masala - this is not to be missed! This is a mixture of simple spices, black salt, and mango powder. This adds to the mouth puckering and delicious flavor to not only this chaat, but to every kind of chaat. Homemade as well as store bought can be used. The chaat Masala is readily available in Indian groceries too. 

Onion and tomatoes - adds to the freshness of the chaat

Cilantro - this amazing herb elevates the aroma and flavor 

Peanuts - the roasted peanuts gives a texture bite and it adds to the protein in this recipe.

Sev - fried chickpea noodles - these add to the crunch factor 

Pomegranate - adds vibrant color and nutrition 

Salt - a little bit of fall is enough as chaat Masala also has salt in it.

Ghee/oil - the starchy sweet potato needs a carrier to enhance the flavors and ghee does the magic. Oil can also be used to make it vegan, and tastes good too.

Ginger and green chili - these are not to be missed at all. The bites of sweet potato along with ginger and green chili makes you say ooohs and aahs. That’s simply magical. Add the green chili according to the spice or heat tolerance.

Lemon juice - for the zing!

Chutneys - for this recipe, chutneys are not essential. If preferred, serve with a side of cilantro and sweet chutney. Kids may live with an extra drizzle of sweet chutney to this sweet potato chaat.

Can this be made vegan?

Yes. Replace the ghee with oil and roast the potatoes on the pan until they are crisp. 

Should I bake sweet potatoes in the oven?

Traditional recipes roast the sweet potatoes on coal and then they are made into this delicious chaat. Sweet potatoes can be baked in the oven like in this recipe. If you want to pan fry them, yes, that also works. Adjust the cooking time making sure to make crispy chunks of sweet potatoes.

This delicious street food from the streets of Delhi and other cities from India is my second share for the theme "Street Foods" for this week's Blogging Marathon. Try this South Indian Masal Vada, another street food from Southern India. 

There are so many variations to the street style sweet potato chaat based on the region. There are steamed versions , fried, with papdi, with dahi. Sky's the limit when it comes to chaat. Try this recipe and explore other versions too. In addition to this chaat try this vegan Sweet Potato Cutlets for a snack and this Stovetop Spicy Sweet Potatoes for a side.

If you love this street food, try the following ultimate street food at home.  

Ram Ladoo

Maggi Sandwich

Cauliflower Pakora/Bajji

Bangalore Style Masal Puri

Peanut Salad/Peanut Chaat

Rajasthani Mirchi Vada

Masala Pav

Alepak/Belgavi Bhel

Churmuri

I am also linking this to Sundays on Silverado, Happiness is Homemade, and What's For Dinner.

Ingredients

Serves 2

Sweet potato - 300 g

Salt - 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp

Chaat masala - 2 tsp

Ghee/oil - 1.5 to 2 tbsp

Onion - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Cilantro - 3 tbsp, finely chopped

Green chili - 1-2, finely sliced

Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Pomegranate - 2 tbsp

Sev - 2 tbsp

Green chutney - optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash and pat dry the sweet potato. Place the sweet potato on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle quarter teaspoon salt and fold into a wrap. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted goes in without any effort..

Cool. Peel and chop into one inch cubes.

Heat ghee/oil in a pan, add the sweet potatoes and roast until crispy on the edges, taking care not to make it mushy. This may take about 5 minutes.

Add chaat masala and one eighth teaspoon salt, and cook for two minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the onions, chili, ginger, tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt. Combine thoroughly.

Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle pomegranates and sev. Chutneys can be served optionally. Serve immediately.