Some of the best things to eat in India are sold from street stalls, eaten standing up and gone in a single bite. Chaat is the family name for these snacks - sweet, sour, salty, spicy and crunchy all at once - and they open the a la carte menu at Koyal under Street Food Starters.
What is chaat?
The word comes from the Hindi for “to lick”, which tells you how people feel about it. Chaat is less a single dish than a way of building one: something crisp, something soft, a cool yoghurt, and chutneys that pull in different directions - tamarind for sweetness and sourness, mint and coriander for freshness. Every city in India has its own favourites.
Pani Puri
Known as golgappa in the north and puchka in Kolkata, pani puri is the street snack most Indians grow up queuing for. Hollow, crisp puris are filled with boiled chickpeas and potato, then topped up with a spiced, tangy water (the pani) and eaten whole, in one go. At Koyal the pani is made with kiwi and pineapple, which gives it a bright, fruity sharpness. It is vegetarian.
Dahi Puri
Dahi Puri swaps the water for sweet yoghurt. The same crisp puris are filled with potato and chickpeas, then finished with yoghurt and tangy chutneys - cooler and richer than pani puri, and a good place to start if you are new to chaat.
Sweet Potato & Kale Chaat
A modern take on the format: sweet potato and kale with tangy yoghurt, finished with pomegranate. It keeps the sweet-sour-crunchy balance of a classic chaat in a dish that feels made for the table rather than the street.
More street food starters
The same section of the menu also has Veg Samosa with imli (tamarind) and hari (green) chutney, spring onion, potato and spinach bhajiye, Beetroot Tikki, Chicken Lollipop, Koliwada Fish and the Pulled Duck Pepper Fry. Order two or three to share before your mains. Vegetarian and plant-based guests can find more in our guide to vegan Indian food at Koyal. Allergen information is on the menu, and the team is happy to help.
Come and try them
Koyal is at 59-63 Brighton Road, Surbiton. Book a table and start with the street food.
Experience it in Surbiton
Reserve a table at Koyal - 2 AA Rosettes, Brighton Road, Surbiton
