Today after university me and my sister were so hungry we decided to treat ourselves to some delicious street food we headed straight to the little chaat stall just outside the university gate the moment we reached the stall the air was filled with the mouthwatering scent of spices and crispy fried snacks the man behind the stall was so friendly his smile made us feel even more excited to dig in.
We ordered two plates of chaat and he got to work instantly first he grabbed some golden fried papri crunchy little pieces of goodness and crushed them into the plates next he scooped in some boiled chickpeas that looked soft and perfectly cooked then came the potatoes diced into small cubes they were warm and seasoned just right he sprinkled some finely chopped onions and tomatoes adding freshness and color to the plates.
Then came the fun part the toppings he added a generous drizzle of thick creamy yogurt which softened all the crunchy elements then he poured on some spicy green chutney you could smell the tang of mint and coriander as it hit the plate and right after that came the sweet tamarind chutney dark brown glossy and full of rich sweet and tangy flavor he didn’t stop there he dusted the plates with a mixture of spices a sprinkle of chaat masala some roasted cumin powder a little red chili powder for heat and a pinch of black salt for that extra zing.
We watched as he layered the flavors with such ease every step made our mouths water then he added some crispy sev thin fried chickpea noodles that crunched under the yogurt he finished it off with a final flourish of fresh coriander leaves and another dash of the spicy and sweet chutneys just to make sure every bite was packed with flavor.
Our plates were colorful and beautiful the creamy white yogurt mixing with the dark tamarind chutney and the bright green mint sauce every spoonful had a burst of different textures crunchy soft creamy and spicy we couldn’t wait to dig in we picked up our spoons and took the first bite it was pure magic the crunch of the papri and sev blended with the smooth yogurt the chickpeas and potatoes gave it a heartiness while the tangy and spicy chutneys exploded with flavor in our mouths.
Each bite was different sometimes the sweetness of the tamarind chutney would hit first sometimes it was the coolness of the yogurt or the heat from the chili powder we couldn’t help but smile and laugh with every bite the flavors danced on our taste buds and it felt like the perfect meal to satisfy our hunger.
Besides chaat he was also making golgappay they looked so tempting golden crispy puris that he filled with spiced water and a mixture of chickpeas and potatoes we watched as he poked a hole into each puri with his thumb and filled them with the tangy water it was fun just seeing him make it the little crispy balls filled to the brim ready to burst with flavor when eaten.
After finishing our chaat we decided to get some golgappay too the first bite was an explosion of flavors the cold tangy water mixed with the crunchy puri and the soft chickpeas made it such a refreshing and exciting treat we couldn’t stop eating until we were completely full.
It was one of those simple moments of joy standing by a street stall with my sister laughing over our messy bites sharing the amazing food and feeling our hunger melt away into pure happiness.