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Chatamari
Newari rice-flour crêpe topped with spiced onion, tomato and a cracked egg, from the Kathmandu Valley
Chatamari is a thin, round crêpe of rice flour that Newar cooks in Patan, Bhaktapur and old Kathmandu make on a covered griddle, so the topping steams on top while the base turns crisp underneath. It is sometimes called Newari pizza, which says something about how it's eaten: cut into wedges, hot, and shared. It is a festival and teahouse snack, served at Newar feasts and in the small eateries around Patan Durbar Square. The classic topping is a cracked egg spread over the batter with onion, tomato and coriander, and this vegetarian version keeps the egg; leave it out and add more vegetables if you prefer. The common mistake is to pour the batter too thick; it should be as thin as single cream so it cooks through before the edges burn. Chef's tip: swirl the batter with the back of a ladle in a spiral from the centre outwards, so it sets in an even, lacy layer.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
For the topping
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Whisk 5 ½ oz rice flour, ½ tsp salt and 1 cup water to a smooth, thin batter, about as runny as single cream. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes; it will thicken slightly, so whisk in a splash more water if needed.
10 minStep 2: Mix 1 red onion, 1 tomato, 1 green chilli, ⅓ oz fresh coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper) and ¼ tsp salt in a small bowl.
Step 3: Heat a 22–24 cm non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan with a lid over a medium heat and wipe it with a little ½ tbsp vegetable oil. It's ready when a drop of batter sets at once with a faint sizzle.
2 minStep 4: Stir the batter, pour in a ladleful (about 90 ml) and quickly spread it in a spiral from the centre with the back of the ladle into a thin round. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge.
Step 5: Cook for 1 minute, until the top turns from glossy to matt. Crack one of the 4 eggs on top, if using, and spread it gently with a spoon, then scatter over a quarter of the topping and press it down lightly.
1 minStep 6: Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, until the egg is set, the vegetables are hot and the base is crisp and golden when you lift an edge. Don't flip it.
4 minStep 7: Slide onto a board, cut into wedges and serve straight away with 4 tbsp golbheda ko achar (Nepali tomato achar). Repeat with the remaining batter, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and topping.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chatamari take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of tomato?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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