Bhel Puri

With green chutney & tamarind chutney as my previous posts, can you guess what this post is going to be?! Alright, chaat item it is!

Bhel puri, a classic north Indian street snack that is low-fat, nutritious & delicious too! What more can you ask for in a snack? Crispy puffed rice, crunchy namkeen, soft potatoes, refreshing mix of cucumbers & tomatoes combined with spicy-tangy-sweet chutneys and garnished with cilantro - whoa, what a lovely mix of colors, flavors & textures! Bhel puri is a pure treat for both eyes & tummy!

Bhel puri has to be served immediately as soon as it is mixed. Otherwise, juices from the veggies and the chutneys makes it really soggy & unappetizing. Fill your plate with a big mound of bhel puri, garnish with sev poori / cilantro / chaat masala on top and what else? Just dig in!

Basic Info

Complexity - Simple

Prep time - 25 mins

Cook time - 10 mins

Serves - 3-4

Ingredients

Puffed rice - 3 cups 

Papdi / Sev / any kind of namkeen that you like - 2 cups (I used Surati Bhel mix)

Cucumber - 2 nos (small, chopped into small pieces)

Tomatoes - 2 nos (small, deseeded, chopped into small pieces)

Potatoes - 2 nos (small, boiled & peeled, chopped into small pieces)

Cilantro - 2-3 tbsp (finely chopped)

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Green Chutney - 1.5 tbsp (adjust to your spice level)

Tamarind Chutney - 1.5 tbsp (adjust to your taste)

Fine Sev - as required (for garnish)

Chaat masala/amchur powder - as required (for garnish)

Method

Dry roast puffed rice for couple of mins until crisp (helps in bringing back crispiness & freshness).

Mix puffed rice and namkeen together. Set it aside until ready to serve. Mix cucumber, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, salt and set aside.

When ready to serve, mix dry ingredients & veggie mix together along with green chutney & tamarind chutney. Adjust chutneys to your taste while making sure that it coats the entire bhel puri.

Garnish on top with sev puri, sprinkle of chaat masala/amchur, cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes

• In addition to other vegetables, you can also add finely chopped onion. I skipped it.
• Add about 1/2 cup of mixed sprouted lentils to make it a protein-rich snack.
• Add about 1/2 cup of roasted peanuts for that extra crunch in texture.
• Too much of chutneys will make the bhel puri soggy.
• Do not mix dry & wet ingredients together until ready to serve.