I hosted a Pride party for our staff and I wanted there to be an interactive portion to the menu: that's where Sal came in. They organized a DIY Chaat Station.
It was definitely the highlight of our event and I loved how folks gathered around the table and putting together their "appetizer".
Sal was an amazing host and I loved how excited they were about chaat. Here's a few notes from the handout that Sal provided to all attendees:
What is a Chaat? Chaat is the name for a set of South Asian street food snacks that are absolutely brimming with flavour, vibrancy and texture. Its conception is thought to date back to the 17th Century. We're talking: sweet, salty, sour, savoury, hot & spicy, cool, juicy, crunchy, refreshing and zingy and like nothing else on earth.
There isn't much prescriptive about it, and customisation is one of chaat's defining features. It is regional, seasonal, personal and so varied: it encompasses such a range of different dishes, ingredients and combinations, that it's almost impossible to define in a narrow way.
The word itself stems from the Hindi meaning 'to lick' or 'to taste'. Think of it more of a concept than a recipe: it's easy and social to eat (e.g. at the roadside, and/or with a cup of chai), works as a snack/side or even a light meal (at any time!). Most importantly, it combines a multitude of flavours and textures in one mouthful, really packing a punch in terms of flavour, freshness and texture. read more