Navratri Sweet Potato Chaat (Shakarkandi Chaat) with Pomegranate, Mint and Lime
Crisp-edged sweet potato chaat tossed with toasted cumin, black pepper, lime, pomegranate, mint and peanuts. Fasting-friendly and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
Navratri Sweet Potato Chaat (Shakarkandi Chaat) with Pomegranate, Mint and Lime is a vegan snack recipe made with sweet potatoes, sendha namak (rock salt) or kosher salt, ground cumin. It takes 30 minutes of hands-on time, serves 4, and each serving has 289 calories, 6 g of protein and 8 g of fiber.
This chaat starts by parboiling the sweet potato cubes, then browning them in a hot skillet. You get creamy centers and caramelized edges that hold onto the lime and spices without turning mushy. For Navratri fasting it skips onion, garlic and store-bought chaat masala and leans on toasted cumin, black pepper and rock salt instead. Pomegranate and peanuts add the sweet-tart pops and crunch a chaat needs.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes
- 2 tsp12 gsendha namak (rock salt) or kosher salt, for the cooking water, Most of it is drained away
- 1½ tbsp21 gneutral oil (peanut or sunflower)
Seasoning
- 1 tsp2.1 gground cumin
- 2 tbsp31 gfresh lime juice
- ½ tsp1.2 gfreshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp4.5 gsendha namak (rock salt) or fine sea salt, to season
- 1 small14 ggreen chili or small jalapeño, finely chopped, Seed it for less heat
- 1 tsp2 gfresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
Toppings
- ½ cup87 gpomegranate seeds
- ⅓ cup48 groasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup11 gfresh mint leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup4 gfresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 67 glime wedges, for serving (optional)
Kit: medium pot, colander, large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, mixing bowl
Tips
- Don't overboil the sweet potatoes. They soften more in the skillet, and very soft cubes break apart when tossed.
- Let the cubes dry before they go into the oil. Surface moisture causes spatter and stops them from browning.
- For Navratri fasting, use sendha namak in both places and skip store-bought chaat masala, which often contains asafoetida and regular salt.
- Add the peanuts and pomegranate right before serving so the peanuts stay crunchy.
Swap ideas
- Roast the cubes at 425°F for 25–30 minutes instead of boiling and pan-frying
- Hands-off with deeper caramelization, but it takes about 15 minutes longer
- Toast and crush 1 tsp cumin seeds instead of using ground cumin
- Bolder, smokier cumin flavor with a bit of texture
- Add 1–2 tbsp vegan tamarind-date chutney
- Sweeter and more like street-style chaat (check that the chutney suits fasting if needed)
- Use roasted cashews or makhana instead of peanuts
- Milder, richer crunch, or a lighter, airy crunch with makhana
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
289kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 1.4 g 7%
- Sugars
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1696 mg 74%
- Potassium
- 750 mg 16%
- Calcium
- 75 mg 6%
- Iron
- 2.1 mg 12%
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg 15%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Sweet potato, raw, unprepared (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Salt, table, Spices, cumin seed, Oil, canola, Lime juice, raw, Spices, pepper, black, Peppers, jalapeno, raw, Pomegranates, raw, Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, without salt, Spearmint, fresh, Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw
Method
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with the 2 tsp salt. Add the sweet potato cubes and simmer until a knife slides in with slight resistance but the cubes still hold their shape, 6–8 minutes. Drain well and let them steam-dry in the colander for 2–3 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, toast the ground cumin in a large dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and turns a shade darker, 30–45 seconds. Tip it into a large mixing bowl right away so it doesn't burn.
In the mixing bowl, whisk the toasted cumin with the lime juice, black pepper, 3/4 tsp salt, green chili and ginger (if using).
Wipe out the skillet, add the oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the drained sweet potatoes in a single layer and leave them alone for 3 minutes. Turn and cook until most sides are golden-brown and crisp at the edges, 3–4 minutes more.
Transfer the hot sweet potatoes to the bowl with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust with more lime, salt or pepper. The chaat should taste tangy and peppery.
Fold in most of the mint and cilantro. Spoon onto plates or into small bowls and top with the pomegranate seeds, peanuts and remaining herbs. Serve warm with lime wedges.
Storage: Best eaten right after it's tossed. You can refrigerate the cooked, unseasoned sweet potato cubes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-crisp them in a hot skillet, then dress and add the toppings just before serving.
Questions
- How much protein is in navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime?
- Each of the 4 servings has 6 g of protein, 8 g of fiber and 289 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime take to make?
- 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, so 30 minutes of hands-on time.
- Can you make navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime ahead?
- Best eaten right after it's tossed. You can refrigerate the cooked, unseasoned sweet potato cubes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-crisp them in a hot skillet, then dress and add the toppings just before serving.
- What can I substitute in navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime?
- Roast the cubes at 425°F for 25–30 minutes instead of boiling and pan-frying — hands-off with deeper caramelization, but it takes about 15 minutes longer. Toast and crush 1 tsp cumin seeds instead of using ground cumin — bolder, smokier cumin flavor with a bit of texture. Add 1–2 tbsp vegan tamarind-date chutney — sweeter and more like street-style chaat (check that the chutney suits fasting if needed). Use roasted cashews or makhana instead of peanuts — milder, richer crunch, or a lighter, airy crunch with makhana.
- Does navratri sweet potato chaat (shakarkandi chaat) with pomegranate, mint and lime contain peanuts?
- Yes — the ingredient list includes peanuts, in some cases as an optional ingredient you can leave out. Check the labels on the products you buy if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 1, 2026 ·Indian
