Malaika Arora's Chakna Platter Is A Must-Try

No cocktail party is complete without the most essential ingredient to it’s success - the chakna. Chakna are snacks or appetisers that are consumed with drinks before the main-course at a party. The forever debate of whether chakna should be eaten by non-drinkers or not, still remains a heated topic in party circles. However, jokes aside, chakna is usually the most consumed food in every party as it’s portion is smaller than the rest of the meal-courses, and since it’s more of a finger food, it’s relatively easier to munch on while drinking. As a result, at the end of every party, the host is usually running out of these snacks. 

Chakna can be made borrowing recipes from various cuisines. The most common dishes that top the chakna list are masala peanuts and masala papad. Some other commonly enjoyed chaknas in parties are fries, chicken tikkas, fish tikkas, chips, monaco cheese bites, fritters, tater tots, chicken nuggets, momos and more. There are a plenty of  frozen food appetisers available in the market that can double up as a low effort, easy to cook chakna dish for you. While the chakna is easily the most in-demand food at a party, it is also a dish you can easily make at home. If planned in advance, these appetisers can be made in the right quantity, both for drinkers and non-drinkers, in a way that they don’t end up satiating everyone’s hunger for the main-course. 

If you’re forever hunting for a sumptuous healthy recipe for your next chakna binge, give this recipe of kala chana chaat by Chef Kunal Kapur, a try: 

Ingredients:

For Boiling Chana:

1. 1 cup kala chana (boiled)
2. ¾ tsp salt
3. 3 cups water

For chana tadka:

1. 4 tbsp oil
2. 1 no tej patta
3. ½ tsp heeng (asafoetida)
4. 2nos kali elichi (black cardamom)
5. 7-8 nos cloves
6. 8-10 nos kali mirch (black pepper)
7. 1 tbsp ginger chopped
8. 1 no green chilli chopped
9. 2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
10. ½ tsp haldi
11. coriander powder
12. Salt to taste
13. ¾ tsp kastoori methi powder

For Chana Chaat:

1. ½ cup aloo (potatoes boiled and diced)
2. ½ cup onion chopped
3. ½ cup cucumber (chopped)
4. ½ cup tomato chopped
5. Salt to taste
6. ½ tsp black salt
7. 1½ tsp jeera (Cumin, roasted and crushed)
8. 2 tsp chaat masala
9. 1 tbsp amchur powder
10. ½ tsp red chilly powder
11. 1 no green chilli chopped
12. 1 no lemon
13. Handful coriander chopped
14. Handful pomegranate seeds

Method:

1. Wash and soak kala chana (black gram) for at least 7-8 hours. Add the soaked chana in the pressure cooker along with salt and 3 cups of water. Close the cooker and cook them.
2. Heat oil in a kadai or a deep vessel, add bayleaf, heeng, black cardamom, cloves, pepper and stir them on high heat. Add ginger, green chillies and cook them briefly.
3. Lower the heat and add chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder. Give a quick stir and immediately add the boiled chana with its water into the kadai. Turn the heat to high and boil the chana. Sprinkle salt to taste and reduce the water till it thickens and the masala coats the kala chana. Sprinkle kastoori methi powder, stir and turn off the heat.
4. You can now make the chaat hot warm or cold.
5. Place the hot chana in a bowl. Add boiled and diced potatoes, onions, cucumber, tomatoes, salt, black salt, cumin, chaat masala, amchur chilli powder, green chillies, squeeze lemon, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Mix and toss them together, check for seasoning and adjust. Serve them immediately.