Banarasi Tamatar Chaat: Irresistible Indian Street Snack You’ll Fall In Love With

Banarasi Tamatar Chaat: If you love Indian street food, Tamatar Chaat (also known as Benarasi Tamatar Chaat) is a heavenly treat you simply cannot miss. Originating from the vibrant streets of Varanasi, this chaat is a rich blend of spicy tomatoes, tangy tamarind, sweetness of jaggery, and aromatic desi ghee, all topped with crispy namak pare or papdi. Unlike regular chaat recipes, Tamatar Chaat is served hot, making it a favourite during winters.

Ingredients

6–7 ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp desi ghee
2 boiled potatoes (crushed)
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp black salt
1 tsp chaat masala
½ tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
2 tbsp jaggery (grated) or sugar
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
Chopped coriander leaves
Sev / namak pare / papdi
Pomegranate seeds (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation of Banarasi Tamatar Chaat

Cook the base: Heat desi ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds and let them splutter, add ginger and green chillies, sauté for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and spices: Add chopped tomatoes and all dry spices turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder, black salt, chaat masala and regular salt. Cook on medium flame for 8–10 minutes until tomatoes soften.
Add potatoes: Mash the boiled potatoes with your hands and add to the tomato mixture than mix it well.
Balance the flavours: Add tamarind pulp and jaggery, stir and cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and glossy.
Final touch: Add garam masala and switch off the heat, the chaat should be a perfect balance of spicy-tangy-sweet flavours.