Bhel Puri Recipe
Bhel puri is a famous street food chat of India. The base or the 'bhel mix' is very easy and fast to make at home. It can be made well in advance and stored in an airtight container, for future use. Similarly the flat puris are also very easy to make and can be prepared well in advance. So only a quick assembly is required at the time of serving. It can serve as a very good appetizer or a snack. It is quite interesting that the puris served with the bhel are an excellent substitute for a spoon!! And kids enjoy this very much. A bite of 'the crispy spoon' while eating, makes it a fun snack. :))
Ingredients
- For bhel mix
- Puffed Rice or murmura - 4 cups
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Rai (small sized mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Aasafoetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
- Raw peanuts - 1/3 cup
- Sev (gram flour fritters) - 1 cup
- For Assembly (for 1)
- Bhel mix (prepared above) - 3/4 cup
- Onion - 1 & 1/2 tbsp finely chopped
- Tomato - 1 & 1/2 tbsp cut into small pieces
- Crushed green chilies - 1/1 tsp (or to taste)
- Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1 & 1/2 tbsp finely chopped
- Sweet tamarind chutney - 2-3 tsp
- Mint chutney - 2-3 tsp
- Flat puris - 2-3
Instructions
For bhel mix :
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add 'rai' (small sized mustard seeds).
- Once they crackle, add asafoetida, turmeric powder, and raw peanuts.
- Stir fry till the peanuts become darker in color.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the puffed rice.
- Mix well, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add little salt (to taste).
- Allow to cool down for 5 minutes and then add 1 cup sev.
- Let the mix cool completely before storing in an air tight container for later use.
For assembly (to serve one person) :
- Keep all the ingredients ready for assembly. (The picture below does not show crushed green chilies as I skipped them when making bhel puri for kids.)
- In a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup of the bhel mix (prepared above). Add chopped 1 & 1/2 tbsp chopped onion, 1 & 1/2 tbsp cut tomato pieces, crushed green chilies, sweet tamarind chutney, mint chutney, and chopped coriander leaves.
- Toss gently with a fork and transfer to the serving dish.
- Serve immediately (before it gets soggy) , with 2-3 flat puris.
