Basket Chaat

Chaat, just hearing the word makes your mouth water.

This tangy street food is very famous all over India and loved by everyone.

There are many types of chaats like

Samosa Chaat

Dahi Poori Chaat

Chana Kachori Chaat

Aloo Tikki Chaat

and so on...

This is a variation to the actual Papadi chaat as I have made baskets instead of plain papdi using air fryer .

The papdi basket can be prepared ahead of time and stored in air tight containers to keep it crispy.

basket preparation :

For the Outer Cover/Dough:

1 cup Plain Flour/All Purpose Flour/Maida

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Sooji/SEmolina

1/4 cup oil for Moyan

1/2 tsp Ajwain/carrom seeds

Salt as per taste

Water for kneading the dough

Method:

For the Outer Cover Dough : In a mixing bowl add in the plain flour, wheat flour, Sooji, Salt give all this a quick mix. Then add in carom seeds, by crushing between the palms. Now add Oil and mix this nicely with fingertips forming a nice crumbly mix. Next add water in parts and make a soft dough.

Tip: As there is sooji in the dough, the dough shouldn't be tight, as it will fluff and hence make it more tighter during dough resting.

Then baskets will be dry and break.

So instead keep the dough soft and sticky and knead it for 2-3 minutes, then let it rest covered with a wet/moist kitchen cloth for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile you can work on making the stuffing of your choice.

Tips:

Cooling of stuffing is very important if not the baskets will be soggy and can tear too.

Once the dough is fully ready, divide it into 15-16 equal sized balls. Keep all other dough balls covered while working with one at a time. Keep around 10-12 dough balls for making the baskets, and the other 4 divide them again in 10-12 small sized dough balls.

The bigger ones will be used to make baskets and the small ones for making the basket weaves and the handle.

Take one dough ball, dust some dry wheat flour on the rolling board and roll it into a small sized poori.

Take a small steel or any metal bowl and apply oil to it on the outer side and wrap the rolled out dough, cut any extras, press it onto the bowl, this will help in making the basket base. Keep this aside.

Next work with the small dough balls and roll them out into very thin long cylindrical shapes. Now weave these long cylindrical dough onto the basket making a design.

For Making the handle:

take 2 similar length dough cylinders and try to twist on one another, making a twisted rope kind of shape and keep aside.

Repeat these steps and make all the baskets and weave them, also make the handles.

These baskets can be made 3 ways:

Fried in Oil :

Heat Oil in a deep pan and fry the baskets until golden brown, while frying the steel bowl will come out,remove and fry till the baskets are crispy.

Baking:

The baskets and handles both can be baked at around 350 F for around 20-25 minutes.

Air Fryer Method:

This is my favorite way of making any fried snacks these days as very less oil is needed and also its faster than baking.

Preheat the Air fryer at 370 F for 3 minutes.

Brush the air fryer basket with oil and place in the made weaved baskets inverted with base facing upwards and also the handles. These can be brushed with oil but it is optional.

The handle rope should be kept in the air fryer in a C shape, as it will get cooked and get crispy so will hold the shape and hence if its straight will not be able to make the handle.

Air fryer for around 8-10 minutes. At around 6-7 minutes, just check, if baskets look nice golden brown and crispy, then take them out, remove the bowl, separate it out,if not continue for another 2 minutes, once baskets are ready, then stuff the baskets with the stuffing of your choice and garnish of your choice than put the handle, set it nicely to look like a basket.

If you using cheese as stuffing then once again put in the air fryer and cook till the cheese melts which is around 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove the baskets and serve as is or with chutney of choice.