Anyways, despite the name of this particular product being Trader Joe's Aloo Chaat Kati Pouches, I will refer to them the rest of this post as being Trader Joe's Indian Hot Pockets, because you cannot tell me that they're not. They even come with crisping sleeves. They even call them "crisping sleeves." This is a Hot Pocket, through and through.
And, in stark contrast to most of our TJ's Indian food experiences whether current or past, they're a major disappointment. Chief reason: Look at the picture on the box. Looks like crispy, buttery, samosa-inspired crusty-carb incarnation. Then look at this picture, taken of my Indian Hot Pocket, after a few strategically placed bites:
Looks nothing alike. Furthermore, this particular crust? Uggggggggh. What comes to mind is stale Chuck E Cheese pizza crust flattened via steamroller. It's tough and chewy and not even remotely crusty. It's nasty. Granted, it could be better if baked, but I'm not going to eat these at home where I'm trying my best to eat meals without barcodes.
The rest of the filling is okay, I guess. To be honest, I wasn't much of a fan. Between my two IHPs there were about three discernible chickpeas, a whole bunch of mush, some typical Indian spices, nothing that really said "chaat masala" or "tamarind chutney" to me, and whole bunch of big ol' chunks of onions. Now, I like onions, quite a bit actually, but there were too many of them and too little of the other stuff. It was enough that my breath literally and tangibly felt funny until I could come home and brush. Plenty hearty and filling, though. It wasn't enough to dissuade me from being interested in an aloo chaat dish the next time I go to an Indian restaurant, especially if they look something like this, but I won't be running back to these, especially after gandering at the nutritional info. Forgive the Frankenstein Photoshop job, it's been years since I've messed with it.
Wisely, Sandy avoided these. Sometimes she misses something great, but other times she's absolutely right. I cannot even imagine her reaction if she tried one of these, but if the uncrusty crust wouldn't turn her off completely, the filling would. Fortunately, I made a call to the bullpen, and one of our Facebook fans, Martha, gave us a pretty complete rundown, which I'll copy here in its entirety: "I have tried them. The filling is delicious (and vegetarian, for the person who was asking). The crust, however, leaves a bit to be desired. I wanted the pastry to be delicate and buttery like a samosa, because that's how it looks on the box, but it's actually more like the crust on a hot pocket. If it had a better crust it would be an 8 or 9, but I have to give it a 5. Too bad." So I read that as her giving it a 2.5. That's more generosity than I can spare. There's just not that much good I can say here.
Bottom line: Trader Joe's Indian Hot Pockets...err, Aloo Chaat Kati Pouches: 3.5 out of 10 Golden Spoons
Ack! Disappointing as I just picked some up and have them sitting in my freezer. Maybe I'll try baking them instead.
ReplyDeleteSo based on your review (and my needing a quick-ish lunch), I microwaved it in the sleeve for one minute and finished cooking in the toaster oven (without the sleeve--for about 7 mins). I had some plum chutney in the fridge so I ate it with that. I thought it was pretty good this way. Certainly much better than a hot pocket, but not nearly as good as a real Kathi roll.
DeleteI love your blog and usually buy stuff (or not) based on your comments. However, this time I got these a few weeks before your post. I baked one IHP in a toaster and the other in a conventional oven and they were both great. I am Indian so I usually judge TJ's Indian fare a bit more harshly but these were great! I had tamarind chutney on hand so maybe that made a difference also. At $2.29 per box I will buy more.
ReplyDeleteI picked these up and they weren't bad. I had very low expectations, so that helped I'm sure. I baked ours in the oven (we don't own a microwave) and they were nice and crisp. The onion was off-putting as I'm not a fan of onions, but my husband thought they were awesome.
ReplyDeleteThe frozen garlic naan from TJ's is sooooooooo good too.
Oh, I hate it that your review pops up when I google Trader Joe's Aloo Chaat Kati Pouches. This was one of the best TJ items I ever had. We used a microwave and then we finished it off in the oven. The pouches were crispy, tasty, and delicious. I feel like you should re-review this product to do it justice.
ReplyDeleteYessssssss they are so amazing. One of the best tasting frozen food items anywhere. In the pouch they turn out so crispy and fresh! Try 11/10. I promise.
DeleteI thought these were great as well. Perhaps you were expecting a hot pocket like consistency/exterior. I thought the wrap was similar to a kathi roll flaky bread. I read your review first and was dreading giving it a shot since I already bought it. They were amazing. not as nice as the real kathi rolls available in some restaurants but for the price and convenience it was amazing. I too microwaved and then used the toaster over for the last few minutes.
ReplyDeleteI just had one for lunch. It wasn't bad at all. I think it could have been crispy but as it was a frozen food my expectations of that was low. However my pocket did not look like your at all. The one I just had looked a lot closer to the box picture.
ReplyDeleteI never use the microwave for these type of things. I love these.....please try them in the oven... and let them go a little past the recommend time.
ReplyDeleteAdding to the chorus of people saying these things are great and you're way off base.
ReplyDeleteI've never microwaved these, always bake them, and I think they're great. I dip them in full-fat yogurt to cut the spice. Normally I trust your reviews but I think you did these a disservice by microwaving them.
ReplyDeleteI tried these last night. Baked in the oven. They were fine, but with every bite my husband and I found ourselves wishing they were samosas. I wouldn't rank them so low as 3.5. out of 10. More like 5-6. And at 9 Weight Watchers points per pocket I won't be buying these again.
ReplyDeleteI love these. Flat out love them, as does my wife. Strong Indian flavor, just a great tasty item. I give this a 10.
ReplyDeleteI loved these and just picked up a second batch after trying them for the first time. Certainly a lot better than hot pockets.
ReplyDeleteits been a while since you wrote this and maybe they changed it because my crust was mildly bubbly and samosa like... however it didnt crispin the middle both times i made them. iliked the crust though. i HATE the filling. they could do so much better. they are not just spicy. they are WAY too spicy. and not in a good, flavor enhancing way. in a go into choking coughing fits the back of my throat feels like someone is stabbing me with needles way. which i would find my way around if i tasted anything else but it didnt taste like anything but mushy spice. both times i ended up spooning out all the filling and eating only the crust, which i liked. and i wish it was filled with say... mhadjeb filling (caramelized onions, tomatoes, and harissa) or jamaican patty style filling, or... anything else, basically.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the recipe might change over time (or even the manufacturer TJs buys from). I'm sure these are better done in the oven, but I use them for a quick lunch on weekdays, and I like them a lot even microwaved. The crust is okay, and I LOVE the spicy filling. And I don't like it if there's too much onions (I don't like some of TJs soups for this reason), so I wonder if they cut down on the onions.
ReplyDeleteI had one today, microwaving it at work for lunch. It cooked up just fine, but I agree with others that the filling is seriously spicy hot. I don't enjoy food that makes my nose run lol. It does have a tasty Indian flavor, so if heat is your thing go for it.
ReplyDeleteI just ate one. I like it but it is mad hot!!
ReplyDeleteI liked these... like spicy food and I thought the crust was like the picture on the box.
ReplyDeletewonder if they are reading your reviews because the crust IS really crispy now and bubbly just like in the picture. these are seriously spicy; 5 alarm chilli, real Indians could eat them and not be totally disappointed spicy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they improved the crust; I baked mine and the crust was decent. But the bluntly hot peppery spice was overpowering and made the thing a chore.
ReplyDeleteI quite like TJ's Aloo Chaat. I microwave mine, so I do alter my expectations for texture. I don't associate microwave ovens and nice crispy dough in general. They're definitely spicier than most store-bought Indian food, but for me it's the perfect level of hot. I don't think the onion flavor really dominates, but I love onions, so my impression might differ from most. Mild food is easy to find; For me it's nice to have this option.
ReplyDeleteLove this TJ offering so much! And considering I am writing this in 2019, seven years later, it still really popular and TJ hasnt pulled it off the shelf. Maybe your taste buds are not accustomed to this cuisine? I am a huge snob when it comes authentic tasting food and TJ rarely dissappoints.
ReplyDeleteI got these when they first came out when I was in probably middle school. Back then I was an extremely picky eater and I liked them. Now that I'm older and my palate has expanded, I seriously enjoy these. We dip them in the sweet chili sauce, but they're phenomenal on their own. I enjoy spicy foods, although I don't have the same tolerance as others, but the spice level is absolutely perfect with these
ReplyDeleteThis is a strong seller at Trader Joe's so I'm not worried about it being retired anytime soon. However... folks, if you love aloo chaat, you must get the Mango Amba sauce. You mix that up with yogurt & use as a topping for your aloo chaat. It's so delicious! But alas, the Amba sauce is not a strong seller. TJ staff I chatted with said if it doesn't pick up, it may get discontinued. So spread the word. It's fantastic stuff, trust me!
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