Bhel Puri
Bhel puri is a classic Indian chaat made with puffed rice, sev, onions, potatoes and tangy sweet and spicy chutneys. It is crunchy, tangy and ready in just ten minutes. It is the taste of Mumbai beaches and street corners, and a perfect snack for any time of day.
Why You Will Love This Bhel Puri
- A burst of crunchy, tangy, sweet and spicy flavours
- Ready in 10 minutes with no cooking
- Vegan, and easy to adapt to your taste
Ingredient Notes
Puffed rice (murmura): The crunchy base. Sev: Thin gram flour noodles for extra crunch. Green chutney and tamarind chutney: Provide the signature spicy, sweet and tangy flavours. Onion, tomato, potato and coriander: Add freshness and body.
Tips for Crunchy Bhel
Mix just before serving or the puffed rice goes soft. Keep chutneys and chopped vegetables ready in advance so assembly takes only a minute. Adjust the chutneys to your taste, adding more green chutney for heat or tamarind for sweetness.
Serving and Storage
Serve immediately in bowls or paper cones, topped with sev and fresh coriander. Bhel is best eaten right away, but the chutneys keep for a week in the refrigerator and the chopped vegetables for a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep bhel puri crunchy?
Mix it right before serving and keep the chutneys and chopped vegetables separate until then. Once mixed, the puffed rice softens within minutes.
What is sev?
Sev is a crunchy snack of thin gram flour (besan) noodles, fried until crisp. It is used as a topping on many Indian chaats.
Can I make the chutneys at home?
Yes. Green chutney is a blend of coriander, mint, green chilli and lemon, and sweet chutney is made from tamarind and dates or jaggery. Both keep in the refrigerator for a week.
Can I add other ingredients?
Raw mango, pomegranate, boiled chickpeas, sweet corn and chopped cucumber are popular additions.
Is bhel puri healthy?
It is light and can be a reasonable snack, especially with plenty of vegetables. Sev and sweet chutney add calories, so adjust to taste.
What is the difference between bhel puri and sev puri?
Bhel puri is a tossed mixture of puffed rice and sev, while sev puri is made of flat crisp puris topped with potato, chutneys and sev.
More Recipes You Will Love
- Pani Puri (Golgappa): crisp shells with spicy mint water
- Vada Pav: Mumbai's iconic potato fritter sandwich
- Punjabi Samosa: crisp pastry filled with spiced potato and peas
- Roasted Masala Makhana: light, crunchy snack
- 3 cups puffed rice (murmura)
- 1/2 cup sev
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tomato (chopped)
- 1 boiled potato (cubed)
- 1/4 cup raw mango (chopped)
- 1/4 cup tamarind chutney
- 1/4 cup green chutney
- 2 tablespoons crushed puris
- Chaat masala
- Fresh coriander (chopped)
- 1 Boil and Cool the PotatoPut the 1 potato in a small pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and let it cool completely, then peel off the skin.Tip: Boil the potato ahead of time, even the night before, and keep it in the fridge. A cold, firm potato is easier to cube neatly.
- 2 Cube the PotatoCut the cooled potato into small cubes, about 1 cm across, so every spoonful gets a few pieces.Tip: Keep the cubes small and even. Large chunks make the bhel awkward to eat and overpower the delicate puffed rice.
- 3 Chop the OnionPeel the 1 onion and chop it very finely, into pieces about 3 to 5 mm across. If the onion is very sharp, rinse the chopped pieces in cold water for 30 seconds and drain well.Tip: Pat the onion dry after rinsing, because extra water will make the puffed rice soggy.
- 4 Deseed and Chop the TomatoCut the 1 tomato in half, scoop out the watery seeds and pulp with a spoon, and chop the firm flesh into small pieces about 5 mm across.Tip: Removing the seeds is the secret to keeping bhel crisp, as the tomato pulp releases a lot of juice.
- 5 Chop the Raw Mango and CorianderPeel and finely chop enough raw mango to make 1/4 cup, in pieces about the size of the potato cubes. Chop a small handful of fresh coriander leaves.Tip: Raw mango adds a sharp, fresh tang. If it is out of season, a squeeze of lemon juice at the end gives a similar sourness.
- 6 Crush the PurisCrush 2 tablespoons of puris into small, coarse pieces with your hands or the back of a spoon, and set them aside for the topping.Tip: The crushed puris add an extra layer of crunch on top. Keep them separate until serving, as they go soft quickly once they touch the chutneys.
- 7 Check the ChutneysStir the 1/4 cup of tamarind chutney and 1/4 cup of green chutney in their bowls and taste a little of each. If they are very thick, loosen them with a teaspoon of water. Adjust the sweetness, sourness and heat to your taste.Tip: The chutneys carry all the flavour in bhel, so make sure they taste bold. They should be pourable but not watery.
- 8 Crisp the Puffed RiceMeasure out the 3 cups of puffed rice. If they feel at all soft or chewy, spread them on a dry pan over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until crisp again, then let them cool completely.Tip: Puffed rice soaks up moisture from the air, so crisping it briefly makes a big difference. Always cool it fully before mixing, or it will turn soft.
- 9 Combine the VegetablesIn a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped onion, tomato, potato and raw mango. Have the chutneys, chaat masala and toppings within reach.Tip: Use a bowl larger than you think you need, so you can toss without crushing the puffed rice. You can prepare everything up to this point an hour ahead.
- 10 Add the Puffed Rice at the Last MomentOnly when you are ready to eat, add the 3 cups of puffed rice to the bowl on top of the vegetables.Tip: This is the key rule of bhel puri. The puffed rice goes in at the very last moment, because it starts to go soft within minutes of touching the chutneys.
- 11 Add the Chutneys and Chaat MasalaPour over the tamarind chutney and green chutney, and sprinkle in about 1/2 teaspoon of chaat masala.Tip: Pour the chutneys around the edge rather than in one spot, so that they spread more easily. Start with less chaat masala, as you can always add more.
- 12 Toss Quickly and GentlyToss everything together quickly and gently with a large spoon, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, for 20 to 30 seconds, until each puff is lightly coated.Tip: Be quick and gentle. Stirring too hard crushes the puffed rice, and mixing for too long makes it soggy.
- 13 Taste and AdjustTaste a spoonful. Add a pinch more chaat masala, a squeeze of lemon, or a little more chutney if the bhel needs it, and give it one more gentle toss.Tip: A good bhel is a balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty. Adjust now, as it is hard to fix once it is served.
- 14 Top with Sev and Serve ImmediatelyDivide the bhel between 2 bowls or paper cones. Top each with 1/4 cup of sev, a tablespoon of the crushed puris and the chopped coriander, and serve immediately.Tip: Serve within 2 to 3 minutes of mixing, while the puffed rice is still crunchy. Keep the chutneys and chopped vegetables ready in the fridge to make a fresh batch whenever you want.