Bring the bold, vibrant flavours of Indian street food straight to your kitchen with this no-fuss, no-soak Chole Chaat. Crispy curry leaves, tangy ketchup, and warming spices wrap around tender chickpeas for a dish that’s equal parts snack, side, and crowd-pleaser. And the best part? It all comes together in under 20 minutes with pantry staples!

Ingredients

• 800g tinned chickpeas (drained – no soaking, no boiling!)
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• ¼ cup oil
• ¼ cup dried curry leaves
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp danya jeera (coriander-cumin powder)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp ketchup (yes, really!)
• ½ cup water
• A handful of fresh coriander (for garnish)

Method

Wake up the spices

Start with a dry pan over medium heat.
Add 1 tbsp mustard seeds and toast until they begin to pop.
Quickly add ¼ cup oil and ¼ cup dried curry leaves. Fry for just 10 seconds until crisp and fragrant.

Chickpeas in – no prep, no stress

Add 800g drained tinned chickpeas straight into the pan.
We're skipping the soaking and boiling—straight to flavour town!

Build the flavour

Add:

• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp danya jeera
• 1 tsp sugar

Give everything a good stir to coat the chickpeas in all that spice.
Let it cook for 30 seconds—you’ll smell the magic starting to happen.

The ketchup trick

Add 4 tbsp ketchup and stir well.
It adds a sweet and tangy glaze and makes everything glossy and delicious.
Keep the heat on medium so it caramelises nicely without burning.

Loosen and simmer

Pour in ½ cup water to create a light sauce and help the chickpeas steam.
Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
The sauce will thicken and cling to the chickpeas beautifully.

Finish fresh

Top with fresh coriander, and serve hot, warm, or even at room temperature.
Perfect on its own, in a wrap, or over crispy papdi or puris for full-on chaat vibes.