• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Caramel Tinted Life logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Indian Recipes » Bhel Puri | How to make Bombay Bhel Puri Chaat | Bhel Poori

    Bhel Puri | How to make Bombay Bhel Puri Chaat | Bhel Poori

    Published: Aug 11, 2021 | This post may contain affiliate links·

    159 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Bhel Puri or Bhel Poori is a classic Bombay street-side snack. It is made with puffed rice, tangy, sweet, and spicy Bhel chutneys, and fresh veggies. Bombay Bhel is the perfect street-style Indian Chaat

    Close-up of bhel puri on a plate

    (This recipe was first published in June 2020 and has been updated)

    Jump to:
    • Table of Contents
    • What is 'Bhel'?
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step Recipe Instructions
    • Recipe Variations
    • More Indian Snack Recipes
    • Bhel Puri (Bombay Bhel Poori) Recipe

    Table of Contents

    • What is 'Bhel'?
    • Ingredients
      • Ingredients for the Chutneys
    • Step-by-step Recipe Instructions
      • Step 1 Make the Chutney for Bhel
      • Step 3 Assemble the Ingredients
    • Recipe Variations
    • More Indian Snack Recipes

    What is 'Bhel'?

    A humble street-side snack, sold from carts by vendors, bhelpuri or Bombay bhel is a classic Indian streel style chaat made with Indian namkeens - it is made with puffed rice, boiled potatoes, onions, crushed-up papdi (namkeen), and tossed with chaat masala, sweet chutney, green chutney and red chutney, and finally, garnished with sev (fried chickpea batter) and raw mango and pomegranate seeds.

    There are so many elements going on in this Indian street style chaat recipe – there is so much texture from the puffed rice to the crispy papdi and sev that’s sprinkled on top. There’s an explosion of flavor from the combination of sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney for bhel to the spicy red chili chutney and the green chutney.

    There are different versions of Bhel Poori in India - In Bombay, it is simply called Bhel, and in West Bengal there is Jhal Moori or Muri which is a different form of Bhel, with added mustard oil for seasoning. There is also Sukha Bhel (dry Bhel) which is made with Bhel powders and no chutney and is served in newspapers from the street carts.

    Bhel puri on a plate surrounded by ingredients to make it

    Every roadside vendor will have their own variation of bhelpuri – and no matter where you get your bhel puri fix from – Mumbai, Gujarat, Kolkatta – you will never find two bhel puri recipes that are exactly the same.

    Bhelpuri is one of those dishes that is best enjoyed outdoors, at a roadside stall. However, it isn't difficult to get your bhelpuri fix without leaving your home. This dish can be made easily at home as well.

    Ingredients

    You will need the following ingredients to make street-style Bhel Puri or Bombay Bhel at home:

    Ingredients used to make bhel puri chaat
    • Puffed rice - Also called as 'Murmura'
    • Onion - Used finely chopped red onions
    • Tomato - Finely chopped tomato
    • Potatoes - Boil the potatoes until soft, and tender, and chop coarsely
    • Papdis - Use namkeep Papdis (any brand such as Haldirams will work)
    • Sev - Sev or Bhujia is used as a garnish in the last step (any brand such as Haldirams will work)
    • Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) leaves, finely chopped
    • Chaat Masala - Use and good brand of store bought Chaat Masala such as MDH or Everest
    • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
    • Raw Green Mango, finely chopped
    • Pomegranate Seeds - Fresh pomegranate seeds are used as a garnish

    Ingredients for the Chutneys

    Green chutney / Mint Cilantro Chutney for Chaat

    • Ginger
    • Coriander Leaves
    • Mint
    • Sugar
    • Lime juice
    • Chaat masala
    • Salt
    • Green chili

    Red Chutney for Chaat

    • Kashmiri Chili (dried whole chili)
    • Garlic cloves
    • Salt or Black Salt
    • Water to soak the chilies

    Tamarind Chutney (Imli Chutney) for Chaat

    • Tamarind
    • Jaggery (powdered or grated)
    • Cumin Powder
    • Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
    • Kala Namak (Black Salt)
    • Ginger Powder

    Step-by-step Recipe Instructions

    All the ingredients for the Bhel Puri are prepped in advance and then tossed together just before serving. Since Bombay Bhel Poori is enjoyed at room temperature, you can prep all the ingredients in advance, making this a great option if you are meal prepping for the week. Bhel Puri should be eaten immediately after it is served, else the puffed rice will get soggy.

    Step 1 Make the Chutney for Bhel

    Green Chutney - See the detailed recipe for Green Chutney or Mint Cilantro Chutney here.

    Red Chutney - Start by soaking the red chilies in water for 20-30 minutes. Peel the garlic. Take out the soaked red chilies (drain the water). Add chilies, garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon of water to a blender jar. Blend until a thick red chutney is formed.

    Tamarind Chutney - Soak tamarind in hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp into the same bowl and discard the seeds. Strain the pulp into another bowl and keep aside. On a small saucepan on the stovetop, heat the oil. Add the Cumin, Red Chili Powder, Black Salt (Kala Namak) and Ginger Powder. Reduce heat, add the strained tamarind pulp. Add in Jaggery powder (or grated jaggery). Cook for 5 minutes on low heat until jaggery dissolves. Cool down and use in bhel.

    Step 2 Prepare the Rest of the Ingredients

    Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes in a covered vessel on the stove. Once they are cooked and cooled to room temperature, peel them and mash them coarsely. Keep the potatoes aside.

    Chutneys used to make bhelpuri chaat

    Step 3 Assemble the Ingredients

    Just before assembling the Bhel Puri, lightly toast the puffed rice in a large wok. To assemble the Bhel Poori, use a large mixing bowl, add the toasted puffed rice, crushed papdi, onion, coarsely mashed potatoes, tomatoes, and mix well.

    Then add the chutneys for Bhel – add as much or as little as you like, followed by the chaat masala, lime juice, and chopped green mango. Give it a mix to combine.

    To garnish, sprinkle some sev, green mango, chopped coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds, and top off with more chutney.

    Bhel puri with paüdi, onions, corriander, potatoes and chutneys

    Recipe Variations

    To this bhelpuri recipe, you can add optional ingredients and customize this dish to your liking. Here are some of my favorite ingredients that I like to add to my Bhelpoori:

    • Roasted peanuts
    • Chopped cucumber
    • Chopped green chilies
    • Sprouted moong beans

    More Indian Snack Recipes

    Aloo Tikki Chaat

    Beetroot tikkis

    Vegetable pakoras

    Egg Puffs

    Paneer tikka

    Bhel Puri (Bombay Bhel Poori) Recipe

    Shinta
    Bhel Puri is a popular Indian street-side snack, made with puffed rice, crispy papdis and sev, chaat masala and chutney - all tossed together and enjoyed immediately!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 5
    Calories 150 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 5 cups Puffed Rice (Murmura)
    • 1 Red Onion finely chopped
    • 1 Tomato finely chopped
    • 3 Potatoes boiled, peeled and cooled
    • 1 cup Papdi (namkeen)
    • 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
    • ½ teaspoon Lime juice

    For the green chutney

    • 1 cup Mint
    • 1.5 cups Coriander
    • 1 Green chili
    • ½ inch Ginger
    • ½ teaspoon Lime juice
    • 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt (or Black Salt / Kala Namak)

    Red chutney

    • 2-3 Kashmiri red chili (dried whole chili)
    • 5-6 cloves Garlic
    • ½ teaspoon Salt (or Black Salt / Kala Namak)
    • Water to soak the chilies

    Imli Chutney (Tamarind Chutney)

    • ⅓ cup Tamarind
    • 3 tbsp Jaggery (powdered or grated)
    • ¾ tsp Cumin Powder
    • ¾ tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
    • 1 tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt)
    • ¾ tsp Ginger Powder

    Garnishing

    • ⅓ Raw green mango finely chopped
    • 3-4 Papdis
    • ⅓ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
    • ⅓ cup Pomegranate seeds
    • ⅓ cup Sev

    Instructions
     

    Green Chutney For Bhel

    • In a blender jar, add all the ingredients for green chutney along with 2 tablespoons of water. Blend until combined to a dip-like consistency. Do not over-blend.Taste and check for seasoning. Add more salt or lime juice or water as needed.

    Red Chutney For Bhel

    • Start by soaking the red chilies in water for 20-30 minutes. Peel the garlic. Take out the soaked red chilies (drain the water). Add chilies, garlic salt, and 1teaspoon of water to a blender jar. Blend until a thick red chutney is formed.

    Imli Chutney (Tamarind Chutney for Bhel)

    • Soak tamarind in hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp into the same bowl and discard the seeds. Strain the pulp into another bowl and keep it aside. On a small saucepan on the stovetop, heat the oil. Add the Cumin, RedChili Powder, Black Salt (Kala Namak) and Ginger Powder. Reduce heat, add thes trained tamarind pulp. Add in Jaggery powder (or grated jaggery). Cook for 5minutes on low heat until jaggery dissolves. Cool down and use in Bhel.

    Prepare the rest of the Ingredients

    • In a large wok, toast the puffed rice, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and keep aside.
    • Coarsely mash the boiled and cooled potatoes and keep aside. The potatoes should be dry with little to no moisture.

    How to assemble the Bhel Puri

    • In a large mixing bowl, add the toasted puffed rice, crushed papdis, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, and some of the chopped green mango.
    • Add 1 tablespoon each of the green, red and date and tamarind chutneys. Working quickly, mix all the ingredients well to combine.
    • Add the chaat masala, lime juice and mix again. Top off with the chopped coriander, more raw mango, sev, 3-4 crushed papdis, and add more chutneys to garnish.
    • Serve and enjoy immediately!

    Video

    Notes

    • Optional additional add-ins for bhelpuri: Roasted peanuts, chopped cucumber, Chopped green chilies, Pomegranate seeds, Sprouted moong beans
    • Prepare all the ingredients and keep them ready, mix together just before you are ready to serve. Don't make it ahead, the bhelpuri will be soggy. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 418mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1192IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword bhel, bhel puri, chaat
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me on Instagram! @carameltintedlife or use the hashtag #carameltintedlife
    « Cauliflower Curry | Gobi Curry | Aloo Gobi Matar
    Pav Bhaji | Mumbai Paav Bhaji | Instant Pot + Stovetop Recipe »
    159 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kate says

      April 22, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      So many gorgeous flavours, the best Indian street food. And your suggestions for variations sound delicious too, will have to make this many times over to try them all out!

    2. Allyssa says

      April 22, 2021 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      very nice idea! Thank you for sharing this bhel puri recipe! Very delicious and easy!

    3. Deirdre says

      April 22, 2021 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      Loved bhel puri when I was living in Bengalaru and this looks gorgeous, can't wait to make it. I can't get papdis here though, can I skip adding them or is there a good substitute I can use?

    4. Danielle says

      April 22, 2021 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      I had never had this before so was curious to try it and was not disappointed! It came out just delicious!

    5. Jacqueline Meldrum says

      April 22, 2021 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      I've never had anything quite like this but it sounds amazing. I'm off to source some puffed rice

    6. Bintu | Budget Delicious says

      April 22, 2021 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      This sounds like such a delicious snack - I have never tried Bhel Puri before but will definitely be giving it a try!

    Primary Sidebar

    Shinta Simon

    is always on the lookout for inspiration for her next meal. She shares recipes for family meals, Instant Pot recipes and more

    Read more...

    Recent Recipes

    chopsticks holding noodles over a bowl
    chickpea salad in a bowl with a fork
    sausages with roated potatoes on a plate
    collage of indian chicken images
    rogan josh curry in a black pan
    caramelized bananas on a plate

    Popular Posts

    collage of indian chicken images

    16+ Indian Chicken Recipes (Curries, Sides, Biryanis)

    paneer frankie rolls on a black slate plate

    Paneer Kathi Roll | Paneer Frankie | Paneer Wrap

    Apple jam in a glass jar, with a small teaspoon of jam

    Apple Jam - Instant Pot Recipe

    vegetable ramen in a bowl

    Vegan Ramen Noodles - Instant Pot Ramen with Vegetables

    a tra cooling rack with savory muffins

    Spinach and Feta Muffins | Savory Breakfast Muffins

    Chicken 65 in a cast iron pan

    Chicken 65 | How to make Chicken 65 gravy and dry versions | Air Fryer Option

    Footer

    Affiliate Links

    Caramel Tinted Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Privacy Policy
    • Work With Me
    • About

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Me

    FREE e-book

    • Sign Up! for a FREE e-book on
      Indian Recipes

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Caramel Tinted Life | Technical Partner </> Host My Blog