Best for: A sweet-tangy vegetable snack or side.
Grilled sweet potatoes meet chickpeas, herbs, and tamarind in this original chaat-inspired bowl. The mix of warm vegetables and fresh toppings brings plenty of texture to an outdoor meal.
Grill: Two zones; 400°F. Equipment: Covered grill, small saucepan, bowl, tongs.
Ingredients
Total: 45 minutes.
Sweet potatoes
- 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt
Dressing and toppings
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened tamarind paste, standard strength, not concentrate
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons grated jaggery
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder
- 1 cup drained, rinsed canned chickpeas
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
Directions
Preheat a two-zone grill to 400°F. Toss sweet potato rounds with oil and salt.
Grill rounds over indirect heat with the lid closed for about 18–20 minutes, turning once, until nearly tender.
Move over direct heat for 4–5 minutes, turning once, to mark the surfaces; check that a knife passes easily through the centers.
While potatoes cook, simmer tamarind, water, jaggery, cumin, and chile powder in a small saucepan for 2 minutes, then set aside.
Cut warm rounds into bite-size pieces. Toss with chickpeas, onion, cilantro, mint, lime juice, chaat masala, and tamarind dressing.
Divide among bowls and scatter with pomegranate arils just before serving.
Grilling tip: Use standard-strength tamarind paste; concentrated products can make this small dressing excessively sour.
