What is Bhel Puri?
Bhel Puri (or Bhel Poori) is a popular Indian savory snack made by tossing crispy puffed rice, vegetables like onion, potatoes, crushed papdis (crunchy savory wafers), roasted peanuts, sweet, spicy, and tangy chutneys, and a few Indian spices and finally garnished with coriander leaves and sev. This is a Mumbai-style bhel recipe. Bhel Puri Chaat is very addictive and loved by all age groups. It is very easy to prepare snack at home. Other popular variants in other regions of India are Jhalmuri (Kolkata and Orissa), Churumuri (Karnataka), etc. It is often served over roadside stalls in the streets of India. There are two types of Bhel Puri Chaat recipe.
Bhel Puri Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make street-style Bhel Poori at home.
Puffed rice: Also known as ‘Murmura’, ‘Mamra’, ‘Kurmura’ is the key ingredient. Buy the regular variety. It is easily available in any Indian grocery store. The Kolhapuri murmura is not good for making bhel. Vegetables: Onions, tomatoes, and boiled potatoes. Papdi: It is a thin, savory, crunchy wafer available in Indian grocery stores. You can also make them at home. Sev: Thin sev (or nylon sev) is used. You can buy a packet from the store. Peanuts: Dry roast the peanuts before adding them. They add a nice crunch. Spices: Roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chili powder, and black salt are the common seasoning used for bhel puri chaat. Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime/lemon juice tastes the best. Pomegranate: for garnish and is optional. Chutneys: Traditionally, 3 types of chutneys are used to make bhel. Coriander mint chutney: It is made from coriander (cilantro), mint, green chilies, and lemon juice. It adds a bright, refreshing, tangy, and spicy flavor. Tamarind date chutney: Also known as imli ki chutney or meethi chutney. It is made from tamarind, date, jaggery, and ginger powder. It adds a sweet and tangy taste. Red garlic chutney: It adds spiciness with garlicky flavor. It is made from soaked red chilies, garlic, and salt. Adding this chutney is optional. I did not use it in this recipe.
You can prepare these chutneys ahead of time and refrigerate them or buy them from an Indian grocery store.
How to Make Bhel Puri Chaat
Roasting Puffed Rice
Firstly dry roast the puffed rice in a pan on low heat until they become crispy and crunchy (It takes about 2-3 minutes). Cool them completely.
Making Bhel Puri
Add roasted puffed rice, boiled potato, onion, tomatoes, coriander leaves, crushed papdi, roasted peanuts, roasted jeera, chaat masala, red chili powder, and black salt. Toss everything well. Add green coriander mint chutney, tamarind chutney (imli ki chutney) along with fresh lime juice. Quickly mix everything well, and add more chutneys if required. Finally, garnish with more nylon sev, papdi, and coriander leaves. Serve bhel puri chat immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Bhel Poori tastes best when served immediately after assembling, as it will get soggy over time. You can serve bhel puri on its own as an appetizer, as it’s packed with many flavors spicy, sweet, and tangy, or pair it with masala chai for the evening snack time.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make-Ahead: You can prep all the ingredients, like chutneys, boiled potatoes, roasted peanuts, and chop veggies a day before and store them in the fridge. Assemble the bhel just before serving. Store: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but it’s best to consume them within a few hours, as they may become soggy and lose their crispiness.
Tips to Make the Best Bhel Puri Chaat
Roasting Puffed Rice: Dry roast the puffed rice in a pan until it becomes crisp. Cool completely before using it to make the bhel puri. Fresh Ingredients: Always use fresh and crispy papdi’s, sev. Papdis, and sev go rancid very fast, even before their expiration date, so make sure to check them before using. Homemade Chutney: Using homemade chutney adds more flavor and depth to the chaat, so avoid using store-bought chutneys if possible. You can prepare a big batch and freeze them. Serve immediately: Keep all the ingredients ready, when you are ready to serve, toss the ingredients for preparing bhel and serve immediately. This helps to prevent the bhel poori chaat from getting soggy. Thick Consistency Chutney: Do not add chutney in the beginning as it can make the bhel soggy, so add it in the last little by little until you get the desired taste. Also, make sure the chutneys are thick and not too runny. Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
Variations
Ready Bhel Mix: Use the ready-made bhel mix (that includes papdi and sev without the chutney). You can use that in place of plain murmura, papdi, and sev mixture. It is readily available in Indian grocery stores. I prefer Surati bhel mix. Sprouted moong: You can also add steamed/parboiled Sprouted moong beans to add nutritional value. Veggies: You may add chopped cucumber, grated carrots, or beetroot. If mangoes are in season, add diced raw mango for a tangy taste. Spicing: Adjust spices, and chutneys in the bhel according to your liking. No onions: If you want to make a no-onion version, skip them in the bhel.
More Indian Chaat Ideas
Pani Puri Dahi Puri Sev Puri Avocado Pani Puri Corn Bhel Makhana Bhel Dahi Papdi Chaat Tomato Slice Chaat Khakra Chaat Aloo Tikki Chaat
More Appetizer/Snack Recipes
Makhana Chivda Vegetable Rice Cutlet Gobi Manchurian Masala French Fries Maddur Vada Barbeque Nation Style Cajun Potatoes Poha Chivda
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