Name: Chaat Hummus - Indian Hummus
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 can chick peas (15.5 oz); ½ tsp baking soda; ⅓ cup tahini; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp tamarind sauce (1 tbsp in the hummus, 1 for drizzling on top); 3 tbsp cilantro chutney (2 tbsp in the hummus, 1 for drizzling on top); ½ tsp roasted cumin powder; 2 tsp chaat masala (1½ tsp in the hummus, ¼ - ½ tsp sprinkled on top); ¾ tsp salt; 4-5 tbsp water (add 4 then add additional 1 tbsp at a time until you get the consistency you prefer); ¼ cup red onion (finely chopped); ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (or substitute chopped tomatoes if not in season); 3 tbsp nylon sev; 5 sprigs cilantro (chopped); papdi puri (for dipping)

An Indian hummus spin – chaat hummus! I love making Indian fusion dishes and this easy hummus hits the spot!

Chaats are a popular Indian street food. They are generally easy recipes such as Aloo Chana Chaat and Samosa Chaat. I even made an Indian fusion version – Tater Tot Chaat.

Chaats use chutneys and toppings/mix-ins such as cilantro, nylon sev, pomegranate seeds and red onions to pack a punch of flavors and textures.

Key to making chaats is Chaat Masala. It is found easily in Indian grocery stores and you can also make your own chaat masala blend at home.

Chana chaat is made using chickpeas (chana) so this hummus is inspired by that recipe.

The fun thing about chaats is that they are like a “choose your own adventure” dish. While there are base main ingredients in the different types of chaat, the amount of sweet, spicy, and tang can all be adjusted to your liking.

Why you will love this recipe

Unique | Try out a spin on hummus!
Party favorite | Easy to prep ahead of time and always loved by guests
Quick to prepare |Ready in under 30 minutes
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free

Ingredients

Below are ingredient notes. The full ingredient list and directions are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.

Chickpeas – You can use either canned or dry chickpeas (kabuli chana). If using canned chickpeas as I did I recommend boiling the canned chickpeas with a little baking soda to soften them. This will result in a smoother texture.

Tahini – Sesame seed butter tastes amazing and is used in traditional hummus recipes. It adds a great flavor.

Onion – I used red onion. Any type can work.

Chaat masala – Without chaat masala, there is no taste of real chaat! Chaat masala is easy to make at home.

Pomegranate seeds – I love making chaats especially when pomegranates are in season. It adds a great burst of flavor!

Coriander leaves – Add a fresh coriander taste to the dish.

Nylon sev – Typically nylon sev, a fine small sev is used for chaats. It provides a great contrasting texture and crunch. If you do not have it on hand you can use a large sev or papdis. If they are too big, I suggest crushing them.

Chutneys – So, I always have these three chutneys on hand. If you do not, make them beforehand – even a few days in advance.

They are pretty simple to make:

Brown Chutney: Tamarind Sauce or Tamarind Date Chutney
Green Chutney: Cilantro Chutney or Cilantro Mint Chutney
Red Chutney: Garlic Chutney (optional, but tastes delish if you like some heat! You can use finely chopped green chilies for heat as well)

Preparation

#1 Chickpeas

Drain and rinse canned chickpeas. Place in a pot with baking soda. Cover with water that is a few inches above the chickpeas. Bring it to a boil and reduce heat to medium to let boiling continue for a total of 20 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas in a colander. You’ll notice in the before and after picture below that the boiled chickpeas look more full and the skins have split off.

The boiled canned chickpeas are softer in texture and helps you achieve a smoother hummus consistency.