Chotpoti
The Bengali word chotpoti means ‘spiced’, and refers to a popular chickpea and potato street food topped with a sweet and spicy tamarind chutney. The white peas need to be soaked in advance, so make sure to start this the night before. Credit: Monsoon by Asma Khan (DK £26), Photography © Patricia Niven
Asma says: 'Over a couple of generations, we seem to have limited the range of ingredients we use for our cooking. The overcultivation of certain foods, like corn, wheat, and rice, will have a long-term impact on our environment. This dish is a great way to expand our repertoire. Legumes are rich in nutrients, and in Ayurveda are considered to be astringent in flavour. White peas were harvested for centuries in northern and western India, and are high in zinc and phosphorus. They can also be used as a substitute for white chickpeas in other dishes. If you like, you could also add a sprinkle of chopped green chillies to this dish, for a little heat.'
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
For the white peas
- 225g of dried white peas
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 potato, 100g
- 1 small cucumber
- 1 tomato
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp of chopped onion
- 1 boiled egg, sliced
- 2 tbsp of chopped fresh coriander leaves
For the tamarind chutney
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- 350ml of water
- 2 pieces of dried tamarind pulp, golf-ball-sized
- 3 tbsp of sugar
- 1/2 tsp kala namak, (Himalayan rock salt)
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Method
Soak the dried peas in water with the baking powder for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight
- 225g of dried white peas
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Drain the soaked peas, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Place in a pan with plenty of fresh water and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer until the peas are tender, up to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, boil the potato in its skin until tender, then drain and cool
- 100g of potatoes
Remove the skin and cut into small cubes
Chop the cucumber and tomato to match the size of the potato cubes. Set aside
Dry-roast the cumin seeds and dried chillies (for the tamarind chutney) in a heavy-based frying pan until they darken a couple of shades. Transfer to a plate to cool and then grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Set aside
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
When the peas are cooked, drain and transfer to a bowl. Add the salt and mix
- 1 tsp salt
For the tamarind chutney, boil the measured water, add the dried tamarind pulp, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the tamarind uncovered over a low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- 350ml of water
- 2 pieces of dried tamarind pulp, golf-ball-sized
When cool enough to touch, use your hands to pulp the rehydrated tamarind and ensure all the tamarind pulp is released from the seeds and pod
Strain the tamarind pulp into a bowl and add the roasted cumin and chilli powder, sugar, kala namak, and salt. Mix well. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, salty, and tangy. (If you can’t get dried tamarind pulp, you can use tamarind concentrate, but this will be at the expense of flavour.)
- 3 tbsp of sugar
- 1/2 tsp kala namak, (Himalayan rock salt)
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Mix the potatoes, cucumber, tomatoes, and chopped onion into the peas. Add the tamarind chutney and mix well
- 3 tbsp of chopped onion
Garnish with sliced egg and chopped coriander, and serve
- 1 boiled egg, sliced
- 2 tbsp of chopped fresh coriander leaves
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