Dahi Puri: a refreshing summer appetizer

Tangy and sweet, spicy and tart, the crunch of a crispy puri topped with an assortment of chutneys is a fantastic summer appetizer that welcomes the palate to the rest of an Indian meal.  It assures your guest that they will indeed be in awe of such an explosion of flavor with their dinner. Small wheat puris are adorned with sweet potatoes (a variation from the traditional potato), creamy cooling homemade yogurt blended with a touch of roasted ground cumin, and the trio of chutneys that I always grew up with at chaat time—cilantro “green” chutney, sweet tamarind-date chutney, and hot garlic chutney. The final garnish? A sprinkling of delicately spiced angel hair thin chick pea flour noodles called sev.  Oh, and we can’t forget a repeat of cilantro, in the form of its natural raw self, chopped finely.