The Fruit Salad That Tastes Like an Indian Street Snack

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Tangy, sweet, and spicy, this Indian fruit chaat is the ultimate refreshing salad. Bursting with bold flavors, it makes a perfect summer snack or light dessert everyone will love.

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This fruit salad is a popular street food in India and this is where I remember having my first sweet and spicy chaat. The sweet fruits are tossed with salty and tangy spices that really brings about a myriad of flavors in your mouth. You will find yourself reach out to each fruit to see how their specific flavors mix with the exciting spices.

In terms of fruits, you can use any or all of your favorites. My favorite combination includes pomegranate, bananas, apples, oranges, papaya and melons. When picking your fruit, keep an eye out for fruits that are too ripe. Overripe food will have a tendency to turn mushy once mixed together with the spices. Use firm, fresh fruits whenever possible.

The main elements of this chaat usually include a mix of spices - each with their own health benefits. Chaat masala itself is a mix of spices such as mango powder, asafoetida, cumin and red chili.

Other spices used in addition to chaat masala include:

All in all, you can expect to get iron, calcium and magnesium. Vitamins A, B and C while also have benefits such as aiding digestive issues and help with lowering high blood pressure. There are more benefits outlined on this great article about chaat masala here.

When Should I Make a Tangy Fruit Salad?

Fruit salad can pair well with almost any curry as an appetizer or a side. Also, since the summer sun is out, this would make for a refreshing snack during a barbecue. What’s better than beating the summer heat with some fresh fruits and barbecued goodness?

How to Make This Fruits Chaat Recipe

In a large mixing bowl, add the black salt, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, chaat masala and mango powder.

Spice mixture for chaat masala with black salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, chaat masala, and mango powder in a glass bowl.

Add the lemon juice and mix well.

Spices mixed in a glass bowl: black salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, chaat masala, and mango powder for fruit chaat seasoning.

Tangy chaat masala dressing with spices and lemon juice mixed in a glass bowl on granite countertop.

Transfer the dressing to a saucepan and bring it up to a simmer and reduce until the dressing thickens. Then, set it aside to cool down while you prep the fruits.

Tangy fruit chaat dressing simmering in a copper-bottomed saucepan, thickened and caramel-colored.

Gather the fruits you will be using and chop melons and papaya’s to 1-2 inch pieces, slice bananas to 1/2 inch thick pieces, slice apples about 1/2 inch thick and separate the fruit from the pomegranate and orange.

Fresh fruits prepared for chaat salad: halved papaya, melon, pomegranate, apple, mandarin, and banana on a white plate.

Add your chopped fruits into a bowl and pour the chaat salad dressing.

Chopped fruits in a glass bowl including grapes, apple slices, banana, orange segments, melon, papaya, and pomegranate arils.

Toss the fruits well with the chaat salad dressing and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Chopped fruits mixed with pomegranate seeds and tangy dressing in a glass bowl, ready to chill.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is fruit chaat?▼

Fruit chaat is an Indian-style spiced fruit salad — assorted fresh fruit tossed in a tangy, savoury-sweet dressing of lemon and chaat spices. It's the perfect balance of sweet, sour and a little heat.

What spices are in the dressing?▼

Black salt, chaat masala, ground cumin and a little chili powder, brightened with lemon juice. Simmering and reducing the dressing first concentrates the flavour before it coats the fruit.

What fruits work best?▼

Use about 8 cups of whatever you like — melons and papaya cut into chunks, sliced banana and apple, plus pomegranate and orange segments. A mix of textures and colours is what makes it fun.

Can I make it ahead?▼

Yes — in fact it's better for it. Toss the fruit with the dressing and chill for at least an hour before serving so the flavours meld and the fruit takes on that tangy chaat character.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

Tangy Fruit Chaat | Indian Fruit Salad Recipe

Tangy, sweet, and spicy, this Indian fruit chaat is the ultimate refreshing salad. Bursting with bold flavors, it makes a perfect summer snack or light dessert everyone will love.

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20 min

Prep

7 min

Cook

27 min

Total

servings

makes 10 cups

easy

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

(22.5 ml) lemon juice
(1 g) black saltShop →
(1 g) chaat masalaShop →
(1 g) ground cuminShop →
(1 g) chili powderShop →
pepperShop →
salt(to taste)Shop →
(1040 g) assorted fruits

Instructions

To prepare the chaat salad dressing

1
Combine all of the spices with ½ cup of water. Whisk well and transfer the dressing to a saucepan.
Combine all of the spices with ½ cup of water. Whisk well and transfer the dressing to a saucepan.
2
Bring it up to a simmer and reduce until the dressing thickens.
Bring it up to a simmer and reduce until the dressing thickens.
3
Set it aside to cool down while you prep the fruits
Set it aside to cool down while you prep the fruits

To prepare the fruit salad

1
In a large mixing bowl, add the black salt, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, chaat masala and mango powder. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, add the black salt, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, chaat masala and mango powder. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
2
Transfer the dressing to a saucepan and bring it up to a simmer and reduce until the dressing thickens. Then, set it aside to cool down while you prep the fruits
Transfer the dressing to a saucepan and bring it up to a simmer and reduce until the dressing thickens. Then, set it aside to cool down while you prep the fruits
3
Gather the fruits you will be using and chop melons and papaya’s to 1-2 inch pieces, slice bananas to 1/2 inch thick pieces, slice apples about 1/2 inch thick and separate the fruit from the pomegranate and orange.
Gather the fruits you will be using and chop melons and papaya’s to 1-2 inch pieces, slice bananas to 1/2 inch thick pieces, slice apples about 1/2 inch thick and separate the fruit from the pomegranate and orange.
4
Add your chopped fruits into a bowl and pour the chaat salad dressing.
Add your chopped fruits into a bowl and pour the chaat salad dressing.
5
Toss the fruits well with the chaat salad dressing and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Toss the fruits well with the chaat salad dressing and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition per serving

Calories

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

351mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen