Indian-ish Nachos With Cheddar, Black Beans and Chutney

By Priya Krishna and Ritu Krishna

Published September 5, 2019

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(3,425)
Comments
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These vegetarian nachos take their cues from paapdi or papri chaat, the spicy, tangy and sweet Indian snack of fried dough wafers piled with chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, yogurt and various chutneys. This take starts with standard nacho elements: tortilla chips, black beans and a healthy amount of bubbly, melted cheese. But the classic chaat pairing of spicy and verdant cilantro chutney with sweet and sour tamarind sauce provides another level of brightness and complexity. Don’t skip the chhonk, a sauce made of melted ghee, cumin seeds and red chile powder that is drizzled over the top of the nachos. It provides a rich finish and even more crunch.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

FOR THE CILANTRO CHUTNEY

  • 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

  • 1 small Indian green chile or serrano chile, stem removed and roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime), plus more as needed

  • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

FOR THE NACHOS

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 (8-ounce) bag white corn tortilla chips, preferably unsalted

  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped

  • 2 medium Roma tomatoes, cored and finely chopped

  • 4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)

  • ¼ cup store-bought tamarind sauce (or ¼ cup date syrup or maple syrup whisked with 1 tablespoon lime juice)

FOR THE CHHONK

  • ¼ cup ghee or olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds

  • Pinch of red chile powder, such as ground cayenne

  • Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

41 grams carbs; 59 milligrams cholesterol; 529 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 33 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 554 milligrams sodium; 20 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Make the chutney: In a blender, combine the cilantro, green chile, lime juice, sugar and salt and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add up to 3 tablespoons water, a tablespoon at a time, to get it going. Taste and adjust the salt and lime juice, if needed. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, lightly mash the beans with a fork (this is so they won’t roll off the chips), and season them with salt. On a foil-lined 13-by-18-inch sheet pan, arrange half the chips, followed by half the beans, onions, tomatoes and cheese (in that order). Repeat to make a second layer. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes on the highest rack of the oven, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

  3. Step 3

    While the nachos are in the oven, make the chhonk: In a small pan or a butter warmer over medium-high, heat the ghee. Once the ghee melts (or the oil begins to shimmer), add the cumin seeds and cook until they start to sputter and brown, about 15 seconds. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the red chile powder. Set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Evenly drizzle the cilantro chutney and the tamarind sauce on top of the nachos, followed by the chhonk. Add a few dollops of the Greek yogurt, if using.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,425 user ratings
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Comments

Deb

For tamarind sauce: Heat ½ - 1 tsp ground cumin in the bottom of a dry pan until fragrant, about 30 seconds, Add ¼ cup each tamarind paste, date syrup/maple syrup, juice of ½ lime and a pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat until heated though.

M Shah

How do you make tamarind sauce from tamarind paste? Is it as simple as soaking some of the paste in hot water and blending?

TLexi

It was good, but maybe too good. We ate too much and felt sick afterward. If you make it, have more than two people or control yourself.

Dan Johnson

So so so good, 10/10. Our alterations: kidney beans instead of black, maple syrup with lemon juice instead of tamarind and lime, and 2 cups of cheese instead of 4. We thought everything was just right - the spice from the cayenne with the sweetness of the maple syrup with the salt from the chips and chutney all paired together perfectly!!!

Leah

This was delicious! I feel like the cilantro chutney and tamarind sauce could be substituted with a bottled chutney for a faster meal. But the chhonk is absolutely what made this so good.

James

Surprised how much we loved these! Tamarind sauce is amazing on nachos!

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