Bhel Puri is a very common chaat made from puffed rice, sev, papri, peanuts and mixed with onions, boiled potato, chaat masala and various types of chutneys. It is a popular Mumbai street food recipe, which can be easily prepared at home. Bhel Puri is no doubt the most common chaat on the streets of Mumbai alongside the popular pav bhaji. Bhelpuri is thought to have originated within the street food stalls of Mumbai, and the recipe has spread to most parts of India. Bhelpuri belongs to the food family of chaats, which are salty and spicy snacks sold on carts throughout India. There are two types of Bhel - dry and wet Bhel. The wet Bhel Puri is the one where chutneys are added. In the dry bhel one simply do not add any chutney.
The Kolkata variant of Bhelpuri is called "Jhaal Muri". A native Mysore variant of Bhelpuri is known as "Churumuri" or "Churmuri" in Bengaluru. A dry variant of Bhelpuri popularly known as "Bhadang" is consumed after garnishing with onions, coriander and lemon juice.
Preparation of Bhel Puri
Bhelpuri has a typically Gujarati balance of sweet, salty and spicy flavors, with different textures as well, including crispy and crunchy from the puffed rice and fried sev. Other commonly used ingredients include tomatoes and chillies added to the base; in north India bhel is also made by adding boiled potatoes cut into small pieces. Different chutneys impart a sweet, tangy or spicy flavour. There are two popular chutneys used: a dark brown sweet one made mainly from dates and tamarind and a spicy green chutney made from coriander leaves and green chillies.
The finished snack is often garnished with a combination of diced onions, coriander leaves and chopped green chilies. It is sometimes served with papris. Bhel Puri can be served in many ways, but it is usually served in a paper folded in the form of a cone and is consumed using a paper spoon or by the "Papri" which is itself an edible component of the "Bhel Puri".
Ingredients:
•4 cups puffed rice
•1 cup nylon sev
•1 cup coarsely crushed papris
•1/2 cup finely chopped onions
•1/2 cup boiled and chopped potatoes
•1/2 cup date and tamarind chutney
•4 tbsp green chutney
•2 tsp fresh garlic chutney
•1 tsp black salt
•1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
•1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
•salt to taste
For The Garnish:
•4 tbsp coarsely crushed papris
•2 tbsp finely chopped raw mango
•4 tbsp nylon sev
•2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
Method:
•Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently till all the ingredients are mixed well.
•Garnish the Bhel with 1 tbsp of papris, ½ tbsp of raw mango, 1 tbsp of sev and ½ tbsp of coriander evenly over it.
•Serve immediately.
