What is a Fruit Chaat?
Fruit chaat is a spicy, tangy fruit salad popular in India and Pakistan. It is made with fresh fruits, lemon juice, mint leaves, chaat masala, and other spices. It is typically eaten with meals during Ramadan Iftar. This is a great fruit salad for summer. It is also great for serving on Hindu fasting days or Navratri. For Vrat-friendly fruit chaat, just skip chaat masala and replace black salt with sendha namak (rock salt).
What is Chaat Masala?
Chaat masala, or Chat masala, is a unique blend of ground spices that is spicy, tangy, and pungent, originating from South Asia, and typically used to add flavor to the chaat. It is made by combining dry mango powder (amchur), black salt (kala namak), cumin powder (jeera), coriander powder (dhania), dried ginger, red chili powder, and asafoetida (hing). It is sprinkled on salads, appetizers, raita, masala chaas, and chaat items.
What Fruits to Use in Fruit Chaat?
There is no fixed rule for making a fruit chaat bowl. Select a mix of sweet, tangy, and juicy fruits for all-round flavors. It is better to use seasonal fruits because they are cheap, sweet, and perfectly ripened. However, you can use any fruits that you have in hand. The most commonly used fruits are apples, pears, grapes, bananas, oranges, mango, and pomegranates. The other fruits that you can use are pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, etc. Avoid using fruits with high water content, like watermelon, and cantaloupes (muskmelon).
Ingredients
You will need the following few ingredients to make the fruit chaat recipe at home.
How to Make Fruit Chaat
Firstly, chop the fruits into bite-size pieces and assemble them in a large bowl. Add all the spices, freshly squeezed lemon juice (or lime), and chopped mint leaves. Gently toss everything together until well combined without mashing the fruits. Note: Adding lemon juice prevents fruits from browning. Serve this fruit chaat immediately. Enjoy!
Storage Suggestions
Make Ahead: If you plan to serve it later, cut the fruits like strawberries, oranges, and grapes ahead of time. When you are ready to serve, cut bananas, apples, and pears and toss everything with spices and fresh herbs. You can enjoy this fruit chaat as a salad along with the meal or a snack with masala chai in the evening. Fridge: Fruit chaat tastes best when served fresh. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator. Fruits get soggy and mushy. Freeze: I do not recommend freezing leftovers fruit chat.
Variations
Tropical Fruits: Adding freshly cut fruits tropical fruits like pineapple, guava, mango, and papaya enhances the flavor of this fruit salad. Roasted Sweet Potatoes: You can also toss in fried or roasted sweet potatoes or potatoes for a variation. Chickpeas: Some people like to add chickpeas (chole) to this fruit salad. It boosts the protein intake and makes it a filling meal. Canned Fruits: You may add canned fruit such as pineapple, peach, etc., or a canned fruit cocktail to this fruit chaat.
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