Jamun or Indian blackberry is an Indian summer fruit favourite that is not just tasty but also rich in nutrients. The fruit can be enjoyed on its own but when salt and pepper are added to it, its flavour is enhanced even more. So, making a chaat out of jamun is a good idea as it lends itself to the flavour of chaats, i.e. spicy, sweet, and sour. Restaurants like Street Storys in Bengaluru serve innovative jamun chaat. You can try your hand at making the fruit chaat as a simple recipe at home with ingredients that go well or contrast with jamun.
All about chaat
Chaat, it is said by some accounts, was first invented in the 17th Century during the reign of Shah Jahan, in Uttar Pradesh or North India, when to counter an outbreak of a disease, it was recommended that very spicy food be made to kill the bacteria, and thus chaat was made. However, it is also believed that chaat originated much earlier. But at the end of the day, chaat will always be among the most popular food for Indians.
Here is a simple, no-frills, jamun chaat recipe that you can whip up in no time at all that can be made only with jamun. In this recipe, kasundi or mustard relish has been used as it goes well with jamun, giving it a contrasting flavour.
Preparation time-5 minutes
Cook time-5 minutes
Total time- 10 minutes
Course-Snack
Diet-Vegetarian
Difficulty level-Easy
Servings-2
Ingredients
1. 1 cup jamun/blackberry
2. 2 teaspoons kasundi
3. 1 teaspoon black salt
4. 1 ½ teaspoons chaat masala
5. 1 chopped green chilli/chillies, depending on how spicy you want it
6. 2 teaspoons sugar
7. ½ lime juice
Method
1. Deseed the jamun
2. Add black salt, chaat masala, sugar, and lime juice to the deseeded jamun and mix well
3. Pour over the kasundi and mix well
4. Add the green chillis and mix again
5. Serve
About the ingredients
1. Jamun: The jamun should be fresh and juicy. Ensure to wash it thoroughly. Jamun is native to the Indian subcontinent, and so besides India, it is grown in Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Its scientific name is Syzigium Cumini. It is said that Ibn Battuta, an Arab traveller to India, who documented his visit to the country wrote about jamun in his observations.
2. Kasundi: This Bengali mustard sauce adds a flavourful dimension to the chaat. Kasundi is a Bengali preparation, also made in Bangladesh, and is made with fermented mustard seeds, green mangoes, and olives/plums. Readymade kasundi is available in the market. The mustard sauce will give the chaat a uniquely pungent and spicy taste, cutting through the sourness.
Jamun is rich in Vitamin C and iron, which is good to raise haemoglobin levels and it is also a rich source of potassium that is good for controlling high blood pressure. It is also rich in antioxidants and Vitamin A. It is low in calories and high in fibre, and is effective in controlling diabetes as it is good in increasing insulin.