Puffed Quinoa and Edamame Chaat

A high-protein+fiber take on my favorite street food

I’m back from a gloriously chaotic and star-studded family vacation (11 people!) from Paris and London. So much to tell you, and so little space in this newsletter.

Some highlights:

• A cruise on the Seine

• We largely stuck to the tourist trail in terms of food in Paris, but here are 2 notes

  • Falafel at the holy grail of L’as Du Falafel turned out to be disappointing compared to my memories of 10 years ago. But Ata Pita, a random find across from Le Bon Marche was absolutely wonderful - felt like eating at somebody’s home. (As a sidenote, I feel a reasonable amount of FOMO at being a vegetarian in Paris. Hard to fully enjoy the culinary experience).

  • Maison Pinsa was a fantastic sourdough pizza place.

• Dishoom in London, as always, a winner

• The YouWeCan gala was a cricket-star studded affair, very well organized and most enjoyable. Fun dressing up!

• Lots of celebrity-spotting - the Indian cricket team, Bollywood stars, Music legends - you name it! Everyone was in London last week for either the cricket match at Lords (which we also went to!) or Wimbledon

• Dinner at NOPI - another favorite, made even more special by a personalized note from

  Yotam Ottolenghi
  himself, organized by my husband :)

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As you might have guessed, I’m still recovering…but we must move on with this week’s free recipe.

Thank you for filling out my Weeknight Simple poll for the recipe you wanted from my July batch. I am so excited for you try this high-protein take on chaat!

A layered, loud, gloriously chaotic kind of South Asian street food where sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy, and crunchy all show up to the party… and no one’s trying to play it cool - meet Chaat.

This version is my summer remix. Reimagining bhel puri, but with more plants, more protein, and a deeply satisfying crunch that won’t leave you crashing an hour later. Puffed quinoa takes the place of puffed rice, and we anchor the bowl with edamame, roasted corn, and creamy avocado. Peanuts give you that street-style crunch, while tangy chutneys bring it all to life.

You might not keep puffed quinoa or coriander and tamarind chutneys in your pantry—yet—but trust me when I say: you’ll find yourself using them on everything. (Salads! Toast! Eggs!) This chaat is not just a salad, and definitely not just a snack. It’s a full-bodied, flavor-packed meal that tastes like summer on your tongue—and yes, it might just convince you that this is the new normal.

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Puffed Quinoa and Edamame Chaat

Serves 4 as a main or 8-10 as an appetizer/side

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup finely chopped red onion(s)[110g]

• ½ Tbsp. lemon juice

• ½ tsp. fine sea salt

• 2 jalapeno pepper(s), finely diced and seeded to taste

• 1 cup sweet corn kernels[150g] , thawed

• avocado oil spray

• 1 medium avocado[200g] , diced

• 1 ⅓ cup frozen shelled edamame[200g]

• 4 large carrot(s)[280g] , peeled and grated

• 1 large English hothouse or 3 Persian cucumber(s)[300g] , diced

• 3 Tbsp. tamarind-date chutney, (storebought, such as Swad)

• 4 Tbsp. coriander (cilantro) chutney, (storebought, such as Swad)

• 1 cup finely chopped Plum or Roma tomato(es)[200g]

• 4 oz dry-roasted unsalted peanuts[112g]

• 2 cups puffed quinoa[120g]

• ½ packed cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), reserve some cilantro for final garnish

• 2 tsp. chaat masala , optional

Directions

Step 1. Combine onions, salt, jalapeno and lemon juice in a large bowl, mix well and set aside for 5 minutes. This will reduce the pungency of the onion and jalapeno.

Step 2. Cover edamame with water in a microwavable bowl, add a generous pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes in the microwave. Drain, rinse and add to salad bowl.

Step 3. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add corn and spray with avocado oil. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes or until corn is lightly roasted. Transfer to the salad bowl and let cool.

Step 4. Add the carrot, cucumber, avocado, peanuts, chutneys, tomatoes, cilantro and chaat masala to the salad bowl and toss well to mix.

Step 5. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss with puffed quinoa, garnish with remaining cilantro and serve.

Nutrition per serving as a main (see disclaimer)

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PS: A special offer for you!

I would like to invite you to another bite-sized cooking lesson after the solid response to my salad workshop.

Low-carb & Gluten-Free Paratha Workshop

Learn how to make soft, delicious parathas (flatbreads) that won’t spike your blood sugar or leave you feeling sluggish. Whether you're gluten-sensitive, watching your carbs, or simply craving variety, this class is for you.

📅 Tuesday, July 22nd, 12-1pm ET

In this 1 hour virtual workshop, you will learn

• How to make a low-carb, gluten-free paratha using coconut and almond flour—soft, satisfying, and perfect with a curry, yogurt, or your favorite pickle.

• Easy flour swaps for every dietary need—from ancient grains like Einkorn, to seed flours for nut allergies, to chickpea and sorghum flours for added protein and fiber.

• How to fill your parathas—think paneer, spiced potato, or your own family-favorite twist.

Bring your lunch or your chai and just watch—you can cook later at your own convenience.

Zoom link will be sent after you register.

Can’t make it live? A replay will be available to watch anytime.

Recipes + Shopping List included!

⏱️50% off until July 22nd!