I SWEAR that I had a dream about this recipe before I ever started developing it! My sleeping brain knew how much I love chaat masala and how much I love potatoes and it brought this dish to consciousness. I woke up and immediately made Chaat Potatoes with Masala Ketchup, and, might I say, it’s even better than I dreamed! I start out with baby Yukon Gold potatoes that get roasted in the oven until they’re crispy on the outside, and tender and fluffy on the inside. Then they’re covered in a hefty amount of chaat masala. If you aren’t familiar with that ingredient, it’s an Indian spice mix that’s added to chaat, which are snacky, appetizer-y foods.
Chaat has a super fragrant flavor that satiates every taste bud, and pairs perfectly with the blank slate of a potato. To make the masala ketchup, I start with garlic and ginger, then add a blend of spices (NOT curry powder!): garam masala, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder. These get toasted with the aromatics before I add ketchup and apple cider vinegar for a little extra tang. Be warned now that this is an insanely addictive condiment and you may want to quadruple the recipe! Your guests will be fighting for the last potato, too; I’m speaking from experience, because when I shared these with my culinary team for the first time, they disappeared in record time. I still dream about these potatoes, but luckily for me, and now for you, we can have them whenever we want!
1. What is Chaat Masala?
It’s an Indian spice mix that’s added to chaat, or savory snacks often sold from street carts. There are variations, of course, but the most common components are: amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, asafoetida, and chili powder. Garam masala is optional, but I love to add it to my recipe!
2. Potato Types
The type of potato you use for different recipes actually matters a lot! Potatoes have different starch contents, so it makes a big difference when you choose the right one for your cooking method. Yukon golds are great for roasting because they have a moderate amount of starch, so they hold up to high heat, but don’t need to be deep fried to be delicious. They also have thin skin, so they cook quickly and the skin gets nice and crispy!
3. Masala Ketchup
This ketchup is so insanely good! It also gets better the longer it sits because it allows the flavors to marry and really infuse the ketchup, so if you’d like to make an element of this recipe ahead of time, the ketchup is the perfect candidate.
Chaat Potatoes with Masala Ketchup
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
For the Chaat Potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes sliced in half
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chaat masala
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ small red onion diced
For the Masala Ketchup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger about 2 inches ginger
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic about 4 cloves
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Chaat Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, rub the oil and salt all over the potatoes until fully coated.
- Place potatoes into oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and fork tender, flipping halfway through. While baking, make the Masala Ketchup, below.
For the Masala Ketchup
- In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add ginger and garlic, cook stirring for 3 minutes, until fragrant and slightly browned. Add garam masala, cumin, chili powder and turmeric, stir and cook for 1 minute, or until spices are fragrant. Add ketchup and apple cider vinegar, then stir to fully combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a low heat until slightly reduced. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste.
For Serving
- Remove potatoes from oven and immediately sprinkle with chaat masala and toss with tongs to fully coat. Top with red onion and cilantro, if desired. Serve hot with Masala Ketchup.
