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

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

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

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

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.

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:

• 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.

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.

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