Chatpat Crunchy Salad

The Chatpata Crunchy Salad is a raw salad with nuts that give it a crunch, and spices that add a kick of flavour. To make it, mix together cucumber, tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, green chilli, coriander leaves, Kashmiri Mirchi, crushed peanuts, lemon juice, and salt as per taste. It requires no cooking, no oil or dressing, and is ready in as long as it takes one to chop up a few ingredients!

The peanuts, besides giving a crunch and adding a layer of texture to the salad, also make the salad more filling and come with several health benefits. They lower cholesterol levels, preventing heart disease. Consumed in moderation, they can make one feel fuller, aiding weight loss. Since they’re a low-glycemic food, they’re safe for diabetics and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. A great source of fibre, they also reduce inflammation throughout the body and aid the digestive system.

The peanut is referenced in Buchanan’s travels through Mysore as growing there along with turmeric. Madras’ South Arcot was reported as the largest area with groundnut. There’s a close resemblance between the herbarium specimens of Mysore and South American, Philippines, Chinese, and Java peanuts, and the nut was probably introduced to India from one of these countries.

Wherever it came from, it travelled across the world to reach India, and the country has embraced the nut and its culinary capacities, making it its distinctly own, with the Chatpata Crunchy Salad being just one example of a long-loved peanut dish.