Prep: 10 mins · Cook: No cooking · Serves: 4 · Vegan, gluten-free

The fruit chaat Neetu puts out when the weather warms up and there's people round. Whatever seasonal fruit looks good that morning, chopped into a bowl, hit with salt, pepper, chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon, then finished with a drizzle of chutney. Sweet, sharp, fresh, with a bit of heat sitting underneath. A starter, a snack, or a light afternoon plate with chai.

Why you'll love this

• No cooking, no oven, no fuss

• Naturally vegan and gluten-free

• Works with whatever fruit is in season

• Brings savoury Indian flavour to fresh fruit

• Easy to scale up for a party

Ingredients

Main

• Fresh seasonal fruit, chopped or sliced (banana, apple, guava, berries, mango, watermelon, pomegranate, grapes, anything good)

• Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Spices and seasoning

• Chaat masala (a good pinch, to taste)

• Salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

The Mama Sood's bit

• A drizzle of Mama Sood's Date & Tamarind Chutney

Method

• Chop or slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces, keeping each one a similar size so every bite has a bit of everything. Tip into a large bowl.

• Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper and the chaat masala. Mix gently with your hands or a large spoon, keeping the fruit intact.

• Squeeze over the lemon juice and mix again. Taste. Adjust the salt, lemon and chaat masala until the flavour pops.

• Drizzle with Date & Tamarind Chutney just before serving.

Serving suggestion A bowl on the table as a light starter before a bigger spread. Smaller bowls or paper cones for a party. Or scooped into a glass with extra chutney and a sprinkle of sev as a chaat cup.

Mama's tip Dress the chaat just before serving. The salt pulls water out of the fruit, the lemon softens it, and the chutney loses its drizzle and runs down to the bottom of the bowl. Get everything chopped and ready in advance, but hold the seasoning, lemon and chutney until the moment the plate is going out. Same recipe, very different fruit chaat depending on when you mix it.

About the chutney Mama Sood's Date & Tamarind Chutney is the natural fit here. The deep dates and tangy tamarind echo the classic chaat dressing without you having to mix one up from scratch. A drizzle is enough. The fruit stays the hero, the chutney brings the depth that turns a fruit salad into a chaat. For a hotter version, add a small spoon of Chilli Chutney alongside.

Variations

• Hotter: a small spoon of Chilli Chutney drizzled alongside the Date & Tamarind

• Sweeter: drizzle Apple Chutney instead for a fruitier finish

• Chaat cup: scoop into glasses, top with a small spoon of yoghurt, a scatter of sev and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds

• Make it a meal: add a handful of roasted peanuts or chickpeas for crunch and protein