My friend Andrea first introduced me to chaat seven or so years ago, the night after the Harvard-Yale game. The day was exhausting from traveling, drinking, socializing and general shlepping. The chaat was a genie of a dish and gave me everything I wanted -- crunch, freshness, fry, milk, spice, sweetness, sour -- a vaudeville show for the hungry and weary.
Surely we could all use such a magical snack, especially for breakfast. In this recipe, kiwi jam lends a floral tropical umami, the oats contribute a wholesome chew, the cashews deliver their chomp and distinctive slightly sweet nuttiness. I also added dried green mango which is sour, sliced very thin and has a powdery coating that feels good running along your tongue, like peach fuzz. Puffed wheat and buckwheat groats provide pop and heart in other ways. The first is like a foamy pilow, the second like a balloon.
Which is all to say, this breakfast chaat can wake you up, sober you up, and give you a dynamo start to your day.
Recipe: Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix 2 cups thick-cut rolled with 1/4 cup of kiwi jam, 1/2 cup of cashew pieces and a pinch of salt. Spread on baking pan and toast until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Mix toasted oat mixture with 1/4 cup diced dried green mango, 1 cup puffed wheat, and 1/4 cup of buckwheat groats. Serve with yogurt and fruit.
This isn't my first chaat. Check out my Jeweled Quinoa Timbale, inspired by Suvir Saran, here.