Chef of the Year, Nishant Choubey, welcomes summer with Jamun Chaat, his signature recipe

There are dishes that are created in kitchens, and then, there are those that are born from memory — from a place of nostalgia, curiosity, and the sheer joy of experimenting with nature’s offerings. Jamun Chaat is one such creation — my ode to summer, street food, and seasonal wisdom. This recipe has no curd and no mint chutney. Rather, it speaks to the senses — sweet, sour, astringent, bitter, spicy and salty. I discovered this recipe during my travels to Southeast Asia, where I encountered these lovely sauces with remarkable depth.

I remember the first time I tasted jamun as a child — its inky hue staining my tongue, the burst of tartness, and that faintly sweet, almost mystical flavour. We’d often pick these up from roadside vendors, sprinkled with a touch of salt and masala, handed over in paper cones. That memory stayed with me — not just the taste, but the feeling: of carefree days, purple smiles and simple joys. It was a joy to pluck jamuns from neighbourhood trees without paying for them. The same applies to mulberry. It was a moment of rebonding with friends — to meet and enjoy the deliciousness of jamun.

Years later, as I stood in my professional kitchen, staring at a basket of fresh jamuns, it struck me: why not transform that childhood memory into something modern, layered, and yet rooted? And thus, the Jamun Chaat was born.

I didn’t want it to just be a fruit salad. I wanted it to sing — with acidity, crunch, umami, sweetness, and heat. I paired the jamun with cherry tomatoes for freshness, garlic and green chillies for punch, and roasted peanuts for texture. The tamarind reduction, kissed with palm sugar, soy and vegetarian oyster sauce brought depth. A spoonful of mushroom sauce, a sprinkle of chaat masala, and a dash of lemon juice tied it all together.

Served chilled, it’s not just a dish, it is an emotion. A conversation between tradition and innovation. Something that surprises people, makes them smile, and most importantly — makes them remember their own jamun stories.

Because for me, food is not just about ingredients. It’s about memory, place, and time.

Jamun Chaat is where my past met my present — and invited everyone.

Signature Jamun Chaat

Ingredients

Jamun (Indian black plum, deseeded, sliced)       300 gm

Cherry tomatoes (halved)                                          80 gm

Garlic clove (thinly sliced)                                         1

Green chilli (finely chopped)                                     1

Peanuts (roasted and crushed)                                  40 gm

Lemon juice                                                                   ¼ tsp

Tamarind sauce                                                             4 tsp

Tamarind juice                                                              100 ml

Palm sugar                                                                     2 tsp

Soy sauce                                                                       1 tsp

Vegetarian oyster sauce                                             1 tsp

Mushroom sauce                                                         10 gm

Chaat masala                                                               A pinch

Salt                                                                                 ½ tsp or to taste

Method

Prepare the base sauce

In a small pan, cook tamarind juice and palm sugar over low heat until it reduces to a thick, saucy consistency. Stir in soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.

Assemble the chaat

In a mixing bowl, combine deseeded and sliced jamun, garlic slices, chopped chillies, and cherry tomato halves. Add crushed peanuts, lemon juice, mushroom sauce, and a pinch of chaat masala. Drizzle with the prepared tamarind reduction and tamarind sauce.

To serve

Toss everything gently to coat the ingredients evenly. Serve chilled, garnished with fresh coriander and a lemon wedge, besides fresh watermelon.

Note: Jamun is a seasonal fruit. This versatile recipe can also be prepared with other seasonal fruits like mulberries

— Author of 'Stay with Indus', Chef Nishant Choubey is Consulting Chef for Michelin Plated Indus (Bangkok) and Corporate Chef of Seinan Group (Tokyo). He also won Independent Chef of the Year Award for 2024