This Peanut Salad is a tasty and refreshing Indian style salad made with roasted peanuts. Its crunchy, spicy, sweet and tangy flavors will surely tingle your taste buds.
Also referred as Peanut Chaat, this salad can be served as an appetizer, side or enjoy it with some drinks.
Love Chaats? Here are few more chaats you may enjoy – Corn Chaat, Chana Chaat, Sprouted Green Moong Dal Chaat, and Pineapple Chaat.
Chaat or Chat ( means to lick) is a savory snack from India. They are typically served in road side stalls and have complex flavors which give you sweet, tangy, salty and spicy taste in every bite. Chaat can be made with vegetables, lentils and fruits.
This Quick Peanut Chaat
- is a easy side dish which requires no cooking, except for roasting the peanuts
- its vegan
- takes just few minutes to put together
- its crunchy, spicy, tangy and sweet
- can be prepped in advance
Ingredients:
- Roasted Peanuts – you can use store bought or pan roast them at home
- Onion (preferably red onion)
- Tomato
- Green chili ( for less mild- use fresh jalapeno or pickled jalapeno)
- Red chili powder ( I used Kashmiri red chili powder which is mild)
- Chaat Masala (available in Indian store, do not skip)
- Fresh coriander leaves and Lemon juice
- Pomegranate (missing in the picture)
How to make Peanut Salad (Indian Style)
If you do not like the raw flavor of onion like I do, marinate the onion to remove the pungent smell. Finely chop a small red onion and add it to a bowl. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add some water. Mix it with hands and let the onions soak for 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
Chop the tomato, green chili and coriander leaves.
I used store bought roasted peanuts (lightly salted). If roasting at home, heat a wide pan and dry roast the peanuts in low-medium flame for few minutes. Let cool and rub the peanuts between your hands to remove the skin.
When you are ready to make the salad, drain out all the water from the onions.
To a large bowl add one cup of roasted peanuts, one large finely chopped tomato, one small finely chopped onion, ¼th cup chopped coriander leaves, finely diced jalapeno, one teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, black salt, 1.5 teaspoons chaat masala, salt and lemon juice to taste.
Gently toss all the ingredients, taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
Add half cup pomegranate seeds and mix it again. Let rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Serving Suggestions:
Peanut Salad can be served as an appetizer, or as aside with the main course or enjoy it with cocktail or mocktail.
Tips & Variations:
- Chaat Masala is key ingredient which elevates this salad, do not skip. It is mixture of different spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, dry mango powder, hing, black pepper corns, red chili powder and few more. It is easily available in Indian stores.
- You can prep the ingredients in advance and toss them together when you are ready to serve.
- Roasted Peanuts can be replaced with Boiled Peanuts.
- You can also add green chutney or date chutney to this salad.
- Omit green chili and just add little more Kashmiri red chili powder.
If you are looking for a variation in peanut salad, try this Boiled Peanut Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Boiled Peanuts
Yes, add ¼ teaspoon of sugar to balance out the flavors.
Protein packed peanuts combined with fresh salad makes for tasty and healthy snack.
Peanut Salad (Indian Style)
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted peanuts (lightly salted)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup finely diced bell pepper optional
- 1 large tomato, finely chopped
- finely chopped jalapeno or few pickled jalapeno slices to taste
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
- salt to taste
- half of lemon
Instructions
- If you do not like the raw flavor of onion like I do, marinate the onion to remove the pungent smell. Finely chop a small red onion and add it to a bowl. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add some water. Mix it with hands and let the onions soak for 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
- Chop the tomato, green chili and coriander leaves.
- I used store bought roasted peanuts (lightly salted). If roasting at home, heat a wide pan and dry roast the peanuts in low-medium flame for few minutes. Let cool and rub the peanuts between your hands to remove the skin.
- When you are ready to make the salad, drain out all the water from the onions.
- To a large bowl add one cup of roasted peanuts, one large finely chopped tomato, one small finely chopped onion, ¼th cup chopped coriander leaves, finely diced jalapeno, one teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1.5 teaspoons chaat masala, black salt, salt and lemon juice to taste.
- Gently toss all the ingredients, taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
- Add half cup pomegranate seeds and mix it again. Let rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Sujatha. Y v
Yummy