Chickpea Chaat with Pomegranate, Tamarind and Mint

Escapism is the word that comes to mind when I reflect back at those days when my taste buds salivated with the thought of consuming a half warm and half cold mixed chaat from my local Chaat-wallay ka Dhabba - running away from homework, chores and cleaning my room, were things worth escaping on a hot day after an equally labourous sweaty day at school. I'd call a friend, run out the front door, jump on my tiny yellow cycle, the seat was always as hot as a coal soaking up the sunshine all day, with much effort I would ride down on my squeeky bike to my friend's house. We would hurriedly meet and skip away to the Chaat guy down the street - and there he would be. With his large stainless steel vat whipping cool set yoghurt with chaat masala and chopped red onions with mint, sugar and salt. There we were salvating anxiously as warm chickpeas and boiled potatoes were mixed in this cold milky mixture and served in small vintage-like kitchy plates, sprinkled liberally with paapri and tamarind chutney. With the love that this man made his chaat, we did it justice by sucking it down in 30 seconds washed down with icy nimbopaani (fresh lemonade with mint and cumin).Such memories make me crave the spicy cold and hot burst of flavours that only the chaat from my weekday escape could render - Here I have reproduced something close with my favourite bursts of flavour - pomegranate, mint and tamarind. Their marriage on the palate just sings. Try this one a hot day, a cold one or just those in between days - as a salad, a snack or just a main meal. Chaat is one of those things that has no defination on a menu, no matter how hard it's placed in the starter menu - it's a meal unto itself, yet light enough to be a starter. The thoughts in my mind are those of happy freedom of childhood and carefree moments of extreme liberty.Serves: up to 10-15 people as a small starter 200 g boondi, soaked in hot water about 30 minutes before adding500 g chick peas, soaked overnight and then boiled in ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda2 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped into small squares and boiled2 tbsp pomegranate100 g papri1 large onion, chopped finely1 ½ cloves of garlic, pureed4-5 thin green chillis, chopped finely½ bunch of coriander, chopped finely10-12 mint leaves, chopped finely450 g natural yoghurt, whipped with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt2-3 tsp chaat masala1 tbsp tamarind paste1 tsp cumin, dry roastedsalt to tasteMethod:

1. Mix the boiled chickpeas, boiled potatoes, soaked (and squeezed) boodi and pomegranate in a bowl.
2. Whip yoghurt in another bowl add chaat masala, salt, sugar, onions and garlic. Pour this over the chickpeas and top with coriander, mint green chilli and stir.
3. To serve, crush over papri, dry roasted cumin and tamarind paste - enjoy cool yet with warm chickpeas and potatoes!.