Spicy, tangy air fried potatoes are tossed with spices, fresh lime juice in this Delhi style Aloo Chaat. Makes the perfect snack or appetizer, toss with chutney for extra flavor!
First soak some ginger juliennes for garnishing. Cut 1-inch ginger into juliennes. Add it to a bowl with 2 teaspoons lime juice, pinch of salt and chaat masala. Set aside while you make the chaat. Skip this step if you don't want to garnish with ginger juliennes.
Peel and cut russet potatoes into around 3/4 to 1-inch cubes. Soak in warm water (not boiling but warm enough) for 20 minutes. Soaking in warm/mildly hot water for 20 minutes cooks the potatoes a little. This way when you air fry them, they become super crispy when cooked for the second time. We also soak to remove excess starch so don't skip the step of soaking the potatoes.
After 15 minutes, drain the potatoes using a colander. Then transfer them to a kitchen towel and pat dry (rub with towel) until they are completely dry.Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and add oil to it. I have used avocado oil but you can use any oil of choice. Stir well until potatoes are coated with the oil. Pre-heat air fryer at 380 F degrees for 2 minutes.
Once pre-heated, add the potatoes to the air fryer in a single layer (you may spray with air fryer with a oil-spray if you like). I have a large enough air fryer so I was able to do this in a single batch, if you have a small one, you might have to do this in 2 batches because you need to place them in a single later.
Air fry at 380 F degrees for 20 to 22 minutes shaking them twice in between. The potatoes get done sooner but we cook for more time to get them really crispy. Start checking around 15 minutes mark, since every air fryer is different. You know they are done, when they have this golden brown color and you can hear the crispiness when you shake the air fryer basket.
Transfer to a large bowl and add lime juice (or lemon juice). Start with adding 2 tablespoons and add an extra tablespoon after taste testing. This is a tangy chaat so I usually add the entire 3 tablespoons.
Add the spices- cumin powder, chaat masala, Kashmiri red chili powder and kala namak. Also add the chopped green chili, mint and cilantro. Mix until everything is well combined
Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with prepared ginger juliennes and serve immediately. I used these dona (leaf bowls) to serve the chaat.
Notes
I highly recommend using russet potatoes. They are perfect for chaat but if you don't have them, you can use other potatoes like yukon gold.
You can use ghee in place of oil for air frying the potatoes.
If making these for fasting- use ghee and do not add the spices that you don't eat during fasting/Navratri.
Amount of chilies in the recipe can be adjusted to taste.
You can also garnish the chaat with thinly sliced onion and radish.
Refer to main post for oven and stove-top instructions.
Total time includes the soaking time of 20 minutes.