(Aloo Papri Chaat)

SERVES 8

This street vendor snack is popular all over northern India. Our recipe is an adaptation of one in Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking (William Morrow, 1985).

2 medium waxy potatoes
Salt
2 cups plain yogurt
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and crushed to a powder
48 papri (crisp-fried wafers)
1/2 cup imli chatni (tamarind chutney)
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. Indian red chile powder or cayenne
2 hot green chiles , stemmed and sliced
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced

1. Put potatoes into a medium pot and cover with cold salted water by 2"–3". Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium, and gently boil until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain, peel, and cut into 1/4" cubes.

2. Mix yogurt, sugar, cumin, and salt to taste together in a bowl. Put 6 papri on each 8 small plates; pile potatoes on them equally . Spoon 1/4 cup of the yogurt, then 1 tbsp. of the chutney, over each. Sprinkle with cilantro, chile powder, chiles, and scallions. Serve immediately.