Time For A Chaat

I know it's been a while and it's definitely time for a chaat. No, not a typo, or some new slang for a super long chat. I'm talking chaat, as in delicious snacks, typically served from stalls or carts road-side in India.

I'm not a fan of most fast food. Or of most street food. (Especially street meat. You know, hot dogs sold on sidewalks. Dogs should be walked on sidewalks, not eaten.) But when I lived in India I became obsessed with chaat. Specifically, samosas. Triangles of pure comfort- crunchy fried pastries stuffed with a blend of smashed potatoes, peas, cilantro, and seasoned with a fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and chilis. Living thousands of miles away from my family at the tender age of seventeen took its toll- in the form of 10 pounds. I credit most of this weight to the many samosas I ate.

I discovered this recipe for Pea Puffs on the 101cookbooks blog and was inspired. Basically a lighter, healthier version of a samosa, using a wonton wrapper in place of the heavy pastry. With the addition of potato and fragrant spices I created my own simple samosa. Holla.

Here's my version of the recipe. These make great appetizers for a crowd, or a delish dinner with a nice spinach salad (shown above with a little mango, citrus, avocado and almond slaw). Bonus: These sultry little samosas freeze really well, so you can always pop a few in the oven when company comes round. You know, for a chaat.