Recipe: Cholay Chaat in Phyllo Pastry Cups

Ramadan Nutrition: A Gourmet Twist on Your Everyday Cholay; Cholay Chaat in Phyllo Pastry Cups

By Nazima Qureshi

I am back with my 3^rd article in the Ramadan Nutrition Series. If you haven’t read my last two articles, be sure to check out my article on healthy suhoors  and healthy iftars.  This week, I am sharing a recipe that is a twist on the traditional South Asian dish at the iftar table, cholay chaat. Cholay or chickpeas are a great food to have at iftar because they are high in protein and fibre, which helps you feel full and satisfied. This also means that you don’t have to give up your traditional South Asian foods if you are trying to eat healthy!

What makes this cholay chaat special is that they are spooned into individual pastry cups made from phyllo pastry. Phyllo pastry provides a crunchy texture so you can pass on the deep fried items. Using phyllo pastry is a lower fat, light alternative to puff pastry or deep fried dough items.

As fancy as this dish looks, it is simple to make! You can make the cholay and the phyllo pastry cups in advance and assemble right before serving. If you don’t want to make the phyllo pastry cups, you can also make the cholay chaat and serve it on its own.

Cholay Chaat in Phyllo Pastry Cups

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients

Cholay Chaat:

• 1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 large boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 1-3 green chilies finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp lemon (juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Phyllo Pastry Cups:

• 8 phyllo pastry sheets
• ¼ cup melted butter

Toppings:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 24 mint leaves

Directions:

Cholay Chaat

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF and grease two muffin pans with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, green chilies, and ginger. In a small bowl, mix together spices. Add lemon juice and spice mix to chickpea mixture and mix well. Cover and keep in refrigerator.

Phyllo pastry cups:

1. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the counter and brush it evenly with melted butter. Carefully lay a second sheet of phyllo over the first and brush on melted butter. Repeat with 2 more sheets. The top layer should not have butter on it.
2. Repeat this process of layering phyllo sheets and melted butter with the 4 other phyllo sheets.
3. Using a pizza cutter, cut the phyllo into twelve 4 x 3 rectangles. Place the phyllo rectangles into the greased muffin cups, pressing them into the bottom. Keeping the edges of the phyllo upright, prick the bottom of the shells with a fork.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove pastry cups from muffin pan and let cool completely.

To assemble, fill a pastry cup with 2 tablespoons of cholay chaat, top with a dollop of sour cream and a fresh mint leaf.

Let us know if you make this recipe by tagging us @Masalamommas and @NutritionbyNaz on Instagram and Twitter!

Nazima Qureshi is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Public Health Professional. She uses a non-diet approach (which always includes dessert!) to help others achieve a healthier lifestyle. For more information, visit www.NutritionbyNazima.com or check out her Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

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