Chaat is less a single dish than a formula: something crisp, something filling, something cooling, something tangy, and a final hit of spice and garnish. Once the formula is clear, the dozens of named varieties — bhel puri, papdi chaat, aloo tikki chaat, dahi puri — read as variations on shared components rather than separate recipes.
Home versions often simplify the formula. Sweet corn chaat, for example, swaps the fried base for sautéed corn and builds flavor with onion, tomato, lemon juice, and chaat masala. The result keeps the signature contrast of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy without deep frying, which is part of why it circulates widely in recipe videos.