YELLOW PEAS SALAD CHAAT

These days I look for salad cum chaat ideas, for health reasons I must eat them. Otherwise, the rice loving  self can have rice for all the meals of the day. The good old days are gone. While going to the school, back from the school, at dinner, the typical Bengali plump girl would have rice, breads were next in line. She wasn't bothered about her looks....her demands were food, Anandamela, Shuktara, Desh. She still remembers those golden moments.... just back from the school, she would sit at the balcony with her story books, eating her favourite rice and fish.

This boiled yellow peas chaat is attached with a nostalgia. We used to call it sheddo matar makha.... it was not found much in Kolkata.... it was typical of a small township of Krishnanagar, some 100 km away from Kolkata. It was my maternal grandfather's place, I was born there, spent my childhood there, immensely pampered by my maternal grandmother, uncles, aunts. On the occasion of Durgapuja we would be there. Dadu [the maternal grandfather] used to hire rickshaws for all of us to do a puja parikrama[visiting puja venues throughout the city]. That joy of enjoying and sharing together has lost somehow down the line but I strongly believe the bond is still there.

This yellow matar chaat was sold outside of the Krishnanagar Rajbari. You might have read about Raja Krishna Chandra Ray. After watching the beautiful puja rituals there, I had to have this chaat. A poor vendor selling it on top of an aluminium box with a 'kupi' [lamp] aside. How I managed to eat it sitting on the rickshaw is another story. I thought let me revive the memory giving the recipe a healthier twist. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Yellow Peas : 100 gm
Chopped Onion : 1tbsp
Cubed Cucumber : 1tbsp
Cubed Tomato : 1 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 1 tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves : 1 tbsp
Black Salt : As required [alternatively salt]
Chaat Masala : 1tsp
Lemon Juice : 2 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash and soak the yellow peas overnight. Tame them in a pressure cooker with enough water.

Pressure cook at minimal heat up to 3 whistles. Let cool. Drain the water and transfer to a bowl.

Wash the chopped coriander leaves, green chilli, tomato, onion and cucumber. Add to the boiled peas.

Add the chaat masala, lemon juice, black salt and toss well.

Have it fresh, serves as a very healthy lunch alternative.... filling and tasty.