Chaat Ratnesh Spicy seasoned potato in a cone

Chaat Ratnesh
Spicy seasoned potato in a cone
Serves 8
3 all-purpose medium potatoes
2 tbsp flaked coconut a little vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
8oz (225g) mixed mung bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts, rinsed and drained
2 fresh green jalapeño or serrano chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced juice of 1 lemon
30 fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp Date and Tamarind Chutney

salt and freshly ground black pepper
My friend Ratnesh introduced me to this quick and tasty Indian street food snack, or “chaat.” It is incredibly
good and, like much Indian
First make the cones to hold the filling; these will take the greatest amount of time, so it is better to have them all ready before you start cooking. You
will need some banana leaves. Cut them into 4in x 8in (10cm x 20cm) rectangles, allowing for 3 rectangles per person. Roll each rectangle into a tight cone. Secure the edges with a toothpick to hold in place.
Peel the potatoes and cut into ½in (1cm) chunks. Place in a pan of cold water with a little salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer
until the potato is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, but still firm. Drain in a sieve and let cool.
Place a dry heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut and toast, stirring often, until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Add a little oil
to the pan, and cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Increase the heat to high, add the bean sprouts, and cook quickly for another 2 minutes. Next add the chilies and red bell pepper. Cook quickly for another couple of minutes until the mixture is crisp-tender. Season well with salt and black pepper. Stir
in the lemon juice.
Combine the cooked mixture with the diced potato, scallions, and Date and Tamarind Chutney. Stir in the cilantro. Taste the mixture and adjust the
seasoning. The seeds and coconut should provide a good crunch. Using a small spoon, fill the cones and hand them to your guests with small spoons to eat
the filling. Eat at once so the filling does not soften the cone. You can refill the
banana-leaf cones as needed.
food when it is made well, healthy and easy. This particular chaat mixture is stuffed into small cones made from banana leaves.
Banana leaves are available in Asian food stores. With
a bit of notice, you could also ask your grocer to order them for you. If you can’t find fresh banana leaves, make small cones using parchment paper.