Chaat in a Mathiya Bowl

Happy Diwali!

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The day we celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Among all the wonderful Hindu holidays, Diwali is my favorite one because of what it represents.

Of course, it’s not a celebration without food! Growing up, I always knew that Diwali was around the corner when my mom, aunts and grandmother would start to make tasty snacks such as penda, chorafali, laddoos, and my favorite mathiya.

Mathiya is a classic snack that’s made during Diwali in Gujarat. It is similar to papad, but has a slightly sweet yet spicy taste. The flour base for this is made from legumes and lentils mixed in with some simple spices.

Now we can get rolled out mathiya from most Indian stores that are ready to fry and serve. However, back in the late 80s and 90s when my family emigrated from India, making some classic dishes were always challenge. My family made most things fresh from scratch. My mom and grandmother would knead the dough. My grandfather along with my aunts would roll it out either by hand or using a small iron tortilla press.

Instead of frying the mathiya, I baked it using a tortilla bowl. For the filling, I roasted up some small dark chickpeas (kala chana), carrots, butternut squash and corn in chaat masala, red chili powder and lemon pepper seasoning.

Using some fresh chutneys, freshly chopped onions and bell peppers, I created this unique Diwali chaat that’s full of amazing flavors and some nostalgic memories.

From my family to yours, Happy Diwali and a very happy Hindu New Year!

Jai ho!