CORNER CHAAT

Seven snacks that satisfy in Jackson Heights

Written by Scarlett Lindeman • Photography by Erin Gleeson

JACKSON HEIGHTS - Jackson Heights is a must-visit destination for any food lover; the diversity of cuisines, including Latin American, Tibetan, even hard-to-find Nepalese, is truly staggering. But whenever someone mentions the neighborhood, Indian cuisine automatically springs to mind. During the 1970s, an influx of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants arrived here, bringing their incredible spice mixes, curries and street foods with them. Most folks will venture into one of the lavish buffet houses, where one can fill up on some of the most intricately spiced dishes in the metropolitan area for less than a tenspot. But one of the most exciting and fun ways to explore the neighborhood’s noshes is to sample tidbits and snacks, or chaat, at a variety of different shops. Get started at the corner of 73rd Street and 37th Avenue, and follow our lead:

Start here: Rajbhog Sweets & Snacks, 72-27 37th Ave., 718-458-8512

To try: Khaman dhokla: With a tender crumb and yellow color, this Gujarati snack could masquerade as cornbread. One bite in, however, and the similarity disappears. It’s tangier, thanks to a batter that’s fermented, and more savory, laced as it is with green chile and turmeric, which adds a slight bitterness. The texture is almost cheese-like, with crunchy mustard seeds laced throughout, and a side of spicy cilantro chutney.

Khandvi: This delicate nosh is made from chickpea flour mixed with turmeric and water into a thin batter. The mixture is spread on a griddle, like a crepe, then rolled up into a tube and cut into noodle-like pieces. It is then sprinkled with mustard seeds that pop like caviar. Dollop with spicy-sweet tamarind chutney for a full-flavor spectrum.

To try: Paratha/parantha: Peer behind the long counter at Raja Sweets and you’ll witness a blur of culinary prep work. Women run to and fro, chopping and puréeing vegetables. Curries simmer away in large steel pots. A cumin-spiced steam assaults your nostrils when you enter and it is immediately apparent that you have entered a food temple. Here, the paratha, or parantha, are known to be exceptional. An unleavened flatbread lined with shredded vegetables (cauliflower, potato, radish or cheese), crushed fresh ginger, cumin seeds and chiles, is made to order. Upon your command, a cook takes a handful of the dough, works it deftly between her hands, and rolls out two pieces with a petite rolling pin. She squeezes some oil onto the surface of a flattop griddle and lays the thin flatbread down to cook. When your paratha reaches you, you will scald your fingers tearing into it, running it through a thin yogurt sauce. It burns with chile and heat, ginger and spice, with a mild vegetal backdrop. Watch out for the mustard pickle, it is pungent enough to wilt Styrofoam.

To try: Idli: A South Indian specialty, these sponge-like steamed cakes are made from fermented lentil flour and served with a selection of chutneys and sambar, a spiced vegetable soup. The chutney lineup includes a tart bright green cilantro, spicy coconut, sweet sticky mango, a dark chile paste known as “gunpowder” and a creamy tomato version that packs a sneaky heat. The sambar is studded with bitter melon.

Vada: These doughnut-shaped fried dumplings are made from lentil flour and also served with the chutney rainbow. The interior is dense and earthy, shot through with whole, black, toothsome peppercorns.