Bhel Puri is a perfect snack when you want something light and the same time satiate your taste buds. It’s sweet spicy tangy and so irresistible.
It is one of my go-to snacks with evening chai and reminds me of the Mumbai street-side bhel that we had during our college days. I keep a ready-made Bhel mix pack stocked in my pantry and freeze the chaat chutneys that way I can whip up bhel quickly when cravings hit.
What is Bhel Puri?
Bhel Puri (or Bhel Poori) is a famous Mumbai street food and crunchy, savory Indian chaat recipe, also known as Bhel. Bhelpuri is made by tossing together crispy puffed rice, crunchies (namkeen) like crushed papdi, peanuts, masala chana dal (spicy fried split chickpeas), veggies like onion, tomato, potato, flavored with chaat masala, three chutneys - sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, and hot pungent red garlic chutney and finally garnished with lots of cilantro add sev (fried thin gram flour noodles). This type of bhel is called wet or “Geeli” bhel and is made with 2-3 kinds of chutneys which add tons of flavor and make the bhel very addictive. The other popular kind is known as dry bhel or Sukha Bhel which is made with a special type of dry chutney. In Mumbai, the street-side chaat vendors serve bhelpuri in paper cones along with a papdi or two which act as a spoon to eat this delicious bhel puri chaat. The other regional variations of Bhel Puri are Jhaal muri from Kolkata and Churumuri from Karnataka In this post, I am sharing the Mumbai street-style wet Bhel Puri recipe with three types of chutneys that you can easily make at home from scratch.
Recipe Ingredients
Puffed rice - Also called ‘Murmura’ or Kurmura. It is easily available in most Indian grocery stores or online. Alternately you can use the ready-made bhel mix packets (that include papdi and sev) easily available in the grocery stores or online. Use 2-3 cups of Bhel mix in place of just plain puffed rice. Veggies - you will need, diced boiled potatoes, finely chopped red onions, and tomatoes. Papdi - Also known as Puri. For this recipe, we will crush the puri and add as well as use it as a spoon for serving. You can use store-bought or make it at home. Peanuts - use roasted salted or unsalted peanuts. Masala Chana dal - It is a spicy crunchy snack made from spicy fried split chickpeas lentils. You can skip it if it is not available but highly recommend it. Red chutney made with dried red chilies and garlic. It adds a spicy and garlicky flavor. Green chutney made with fresh cilantro and/or mint, ginger, garlic, and green chilies. It adds a spicy and fresh herby flavor. You can use just Cilantro Chutney or Cilantro Mint chutney depending on your taste. Add extra green chili while making these chutneys if you like your bhel spicy. Sweet Chutney made with date, tamarind, jaggery, or sugar. Also known as Meethi Chutney or Khajur imli ki chutney. This gives a sweet and tangy taste. Sev - These are crispy and fine gram flour noodles also known as nylon sev or nylon vermicelli. Seasonings and spices - salt, red chili powder (optional), chaat masala, and lemon juice. For garnish - Cilantro (coriander leaves) for the final touches. In addition, you can also add pomegranate pearls, and raw mango pieces (if available) for that street-style presentation. Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements of ingredients.
How To Make Bhel Puri (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
The first step is to make chutneys. You can make them ahead of time by a day or two and refrigerate them or you can buy store-bought ones but highly recommend making these at home. You can check these posts on Date Tamarind chutney, Green chutney, and Red Garlic chutney for the details on how to make three types of chaat chutneys. The next step is to dry roast the puffed rice in a pan on low heat (5 mins or so) until crispy. Boil the potato (can be done ahead of time), peel, and chop it into fine pieces. Similarly, chop the onion, tomato, and raw mango into fine pieces and keep them ready. Gather the rest of the ingredients. Once you have the above prep done, making Bhel Puri is super quick.
Making Bhel Puri
1 - Add the crispy puffed rice to a large mixing bowl, followed by masala chana dal, roasted peanuts, crushed papdi, chopped onion, tomato, potato, spices - salt, chaat masala, and red chili powder (or green chili finely chopped), raw mango pieces, and cilantro. 2 - Add the three chutneys - red garlic chutney, spicy green chutney, and sweet tamarind chutney along with lemon juice. Start with a little, and then add more as required to your taste. 3 and 4 - Finally, add the sev and mix until evenly coated. Bhel is ready!! Serve as is or garnished with more sev, masala chana dal, raw mango, pomegranate pearls, and cilantro
Serving Suggestion
Bhel Puri tastes best when served immediately after it’s assembled or else it will become soggy. You can prep all the ingredients ahead of time by a day or two and assemble the bhel just before serving. You can serve it on its own as an appetizer or light meal or with chai during snack time.
Recipe Tips
Use fresh and crispy puffed rice to make bhel. If the puffed rice is not crispy, dry roast and cool it completely before using. Alternatively you can use the ready-made bhel mix packets (that include papdi and sev) easily available in the grocery stores or online. Use 2-3 cups of Bhel mix in place of just plain puffed rice. For all the crunchy stuff, papdi, peanuts, chana dal, and sev make sure they taste and smell fresh. Sometimes even an unexpired pack of these snacks smells rancid so best to check before using. Use homemade chutneys, they add more flavor and personal touch compared to store-bought ones. You can easily make them in bulk and refrigerate or freeze them. Keep all the ingredients ready but mix them just before serving to prevent the bhel from getting soggy. You can adjust the spices and amount of chutneys to your taste. If you prefer a slightly sweeter bhel, add more sweet chutney (Meethi bhel) and more green/red chutney for spicy bhel (Tikhi Bhel). If you are out of green chutney and feeling lazy to make it, add an addition of finely chopped green chili and cilantro instead. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
More Indian Chaat Recipes
Hope you enjoy this Bhel Puri recipe !! If you give this recipe a try, please rate it by clicking stars ⭐️ on the recipe card. Thank you ❤️! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen!!
Recipe Card
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Apr 19, 2012, but was republished with, step-by-step instructions, new photos, tips, and a video in Feb of 2022.
