This delicious Indian chaat recipe can be made at home in less than 30 minutes, if you have all the ingredients ready!
What is Bhel Puri?
Bhel Puri or Bhel Poori is a mouth-watering popular Indian street food that falls into the chaat category. It has a sweet, spicy and tangy taste that is sure to tickle your taste buds! Chaat or Bhel is one of the most popular Indian savory snack, and is easily found on most street food stalls in India. Tourists and locals of Mumbai love to enjoy this evening snack on the beaches of Mumbai from street vendors. Bhel means “everything mixed together” and this easy snack is available in all regions of India. This Mumbai street style Bhel Puri chaat recipe is loaded with Indian snack favourites. It consists of a mixture of puffed rice, sev, chevdo and crispy papdi or papri (crispy flat puri). Tossed in are some basic ingredients like potatoes, onion, tomato, cucumber, green chilies and roasted peanuts or masala chana dal. The dry mixture is flavoured with a blend of tangy chutneys. Finally, it is garnished with plenty of freshly chopped coriander leaves, sprinkle chaat masala and pomegranate seeds. You can also find a dry version of bhel puri called Sukha bhel that has similar ingredients except only a spicy green chutney is used. In some cases, dry bhel puri is made with only lemon juice and spice powders. You can often find it at roadside stalls served in paper cones but it is commonly made in homes too. The bhelpuri recipe will be slightly adapted to different households but the inimitable blends of chutneys remains the biggest highlight. We like to make this dish on the Hindu day of Sheetala Satam, as on this day one can only eat cold food. Bhel Puri at home is easy enough, it just requires a little time.
We prepare the ingredients that do require any cooking on the day before and leave in the fridge to eat the next day. Alternatively, you can buy the dry ingredients such as the papdi, sev and Poha Chevdo fresh from an Indian snack shop or Indian grocery stores which will save you time. Other ways that Bhel Puri is often served is in potluck parties, as a starter, any celebration or Indian afternoon tea. Do not kid yourself into thinking that the addition of cucumber, tomato and chickpeas makes it a wholesome meal – this dish is by no means healthy as it is loaded with fried food and sugary chutney. It will, however, satisfy those junk food cravings and be what your guests keep coming back to! Trust me.
Homemade Bhel Puri Chaat recipe
This recipe is naturally dairy-free and vegan. There are different components to a Bhel: we need three different chutneys, the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Chaat Chutneys:
Imli chutney that is also known as sweet tamarind chutney, I have used tamarind and date chutney that is a sweet chutney. Coriander and Mint Chutney Red chili powder and Garlic Chutney (Optional) You can prepare this red chutney to be spicy or mild depending on the type of red chilli powder that you use. Use kashmiri red chilli powder for bright red colour without the heat. Leave out this red garlic chutney if serving bhel to kids.
These chutneys are best served separately as it allows your guests to build their bhel to their taste and spice level. To save space, you can mix together these chutneys when it comes to serving BUT it doesn’t allow for any variation. Also, some guests may not eat garlic or may have allergies so it is best to check first.
Dry ingredients for Bhel Puri ● Puris (Papdi) adds crunchiness to the bhel. ● Sev Thin nylon sev or thick spicy gram flour noodles, homemade or readymade will do. Sev are savory vermicelli-like snack, made using chickpea flour ● Puffed Rice is known as mamra or murmura available in Indian markets. You can dry roast it or leave it plain. ● Poha Chivda, a spicy Indian snack made with flattened rice, peanuts and basic spices. Homemade or shop-bought. Wet ingredients for Bombay Bhel Puri ● Boiled potatoes cubed ● Boiled Chick Peas ● Cucumber chopped ● Tomatoes chopped ● Green chillies chopped (If giving it to kids, you may omit totally) ● Onion chopped ● A handful of fresh coriander finely chopped ● Salt to taste ● Black salt or kala namak to taste ● Chaat Masala ● Amchoor Powder If you have raw mango available, you can add it to the wet ingredients, just peel, chop and add directly.
How to make Papdi/Papri for Chaat
● Carom seeds are known as ajwain or ajmo. ● Salt ● Oil Method
- In a bowl add flour, 1 tbsp. oil, salt and carom seeds and mix everything with your hands.
- Knead a stiff dough using water.
- Cover the dough with the dry clean kitchen towel and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions and make balls.
- Roll out the one ball using a rolling pin and cut out into round disks using cookie cutter and prick it with the fork.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a Kadai on medium heat.
- Carefully, add a few papdi in hot oil, turn down the heat to low.
- Fry on both sides.
- Once you do not see any bubbles in the kadai, papdis are done and remove it.
How to make Bhel Puri:
Follow these step by step photos. You will need a large mixing bowl and several individual bowls for the chutneys. In a large bowl, add chickpeas, boiled potatoes, cucumber, tomatoes, half of the onion and green chillies. Mix well. Add the spice powders – chaat masala, amchur and dry roasted cumin powder. Mix again. Then add the dry ingredients – chevdo, some of the puri crushed, sev, mamra and mix. Pour over a little of the three chutneys – you will add more when you assemble to this can be adjusted to personal preference. Spoon the prepared bhel into a plate. Top with more sev, more crushed puri and chutneys. Add pomegranate, chopped coriander, onions and chaat masala. Bhel Puri is best enjoyed at room temperature.
What can I use instead of Papdi?
Once the bhel is assembled, it is best to eat it immediately as the chutneys can make the dry ingredients become soggy. Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a day. As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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