Indian chaat encompasses practically every element that creates scrumptious cuisine for all tastebuds-sweet, savory, spicy, sour, and crunchy. Enjoy chaat as a light afternoon snack, a simple breakfast, or create a satisfying dinner with this adaptable, transformative dish.

Step into the world of authentic Indian street food with this rendition of traditional chaat. The rich culinary diversity of India and blend of exotic, aromatic spices create a fundamental foundation with endless possibilities. Chaat is a traditional category of Indian street food that is limitless in style, flavor, and spices inspired by various regions and personal intuition.

Chaat begins with a strong base. Normally, a type of starch including samosas and fried bread. The next key ingredient is vegetables. Here is where you can show off your creative spirit. Traditionally, diced onions, tomatoes, and potatoes are staples, but we all have the freedom to make it our own! Additions of meat, various vegetables, and new spices elevate the dish and add some flare to seamlessly match any occasion. For this recipe, Executive Chef, Ben Davis, adds light ingredients such as corn, cilantro, and lemon atop homemade grilled naan bread to cohesively blend traditional Indian chaat with a warm summer day.

Makes 8 individual naan bread

Naan Bread Ingredients: 

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

1 ¼ tsp instant yeast

2 tbsp melted butter

¾ cup yogurt, at room temperature

1 tbsp water

Summer Vegetable Chaat ingredients: 

1 russet potato, boiled until tender

2 ears fresh corn

1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber

1 cup seeded and diced tomatoes

1 cup diced red onion

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp grated ginger

2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced

1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

½-3/4 tsp chaat powder (recipe follows)

Cayenne pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste

Toasted and ground cumin seeds to taste

3 4 oz lobster tails

Clarified butter or ghee

Kosher salt

Spicy paprika or other ground spicy red pepper

Plain yogurt

Naan bread Preparation:

1. For the bread, combine the flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and stir with a whisk. Add the butter, yogurt, and water and mix on low speed with the dough hook until a soft ball of dough is formed. Knead for seven minutes with the mixer until a soft, elastic dough is formed.

2. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 90 minutes. 

3. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and place on a clean plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

Chaat Preparation:

1. Peel the potato and then dice it into small cubes. Place the potato in a bowl.

2. Place the unshucked corn on a grill and cook, turning frequently until all the husk is black and dry. When cool shuck the corn and then cut the kernels from the cob. Add to the potato.

3. Add the cucumber, tomato, onion, lemon juice, ginger, jalapeno, cilantro, and chaat powder to the mixture and stir to combine.

4. Season with cayenne pepper and salt to taste then transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the cumin to taste.

Lobster Assembly:

1. Preheat the Wolf grill over high heat making sure that the sear burner is also hot.

2. Remove the shells from the lobster tails keeping the meat in one piece.  Insert a thick skewer, starting at the tail, the length of the lobster so that it looks like a popsicle.  Brush each lobster tail with butter and season lightly with kosher salt and the ground red pepper.

3. Flatten each of the pieces of naan bread into an oval about 8 inches long.  Carefully place 1 or 2 pieces of the flattened dough over the sear burner and cook for about 15 to 20 seconds.  Use some tongs to flip the dough over and move to a cooler section of the grill.  Cook for about 1 minute on the second side and then transfer the bread to a warm plate and cover with a towel or place in a Wolf warming drawer.  Repeat until all the bread is cooked.

4. Lay a piece of aluminum foil on the grill then place the lobster tails on the grill so that the exposed portion of the skewers are over the foil.  Cook the lobster tails, turning a couple of times until fully cooked, which should take between 6 and 8 minutes. 

5. Remove the skewers from the lobster and chop the tails into small pieces.  Brush each piece of bread with the fresh yogurt then top with some of the chaat and lobster and serve immediately.