MUMBAI BHELPURI FIESTA

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani

2 years ago

PERFECT TREAT FOR THE TASTE BUDS!

Bhel Puri is a savoury snack originating from India and is also a type of chaat. It is made of puffed rice, vegetables, and a tangy tamarind sauce, and has a crunchy texture. Bhel is often identified as a ‘beach snack’, strongly associated with the beaches of Mumbai, such as Chowpatty or Juhu. Bhelpuri is thought to have originated within the Gujarati cafes and street food stalls of Bombay, and the recipe has spread to most parts of India where it has been modified to suit local food availability. It is also said to be originated from Bhadang, a spicy namkeen from Western Maharashtra.

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Bhel Puri is a low-fat, nutritious, and popular comfort snack enjoyed in Western India. Bhelpuri is also known as ‘bhel’ in Marathi, ‘Jhalmuri’ in Bengali, and ‘churumuri’ in the Kannada language. ‘Jhal’ means spicy and ‘Muri’, is puffed rice. Jhalmuri is a spicy puffed rice snack that is loved by everyone. Bhelpuri & churumuri are 2 other popular variations of Jhal Muri. Puffed rice is known by different names in India. This easy snack is whipped up using puffed rice, groundnuts, bhel, potatoes, and tamarind sauce.

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In Mumbai, bhelpuri is enjoyed as a beach savoury or comfort snack. Bhelpuri always tastes good when prepared and served immediately. Normally juices of tomatoes and chutneys are used to soften the puffed rice and to add flavor to the bhelpuri. Another dry variant of bhelpuri called ‘bhadang‘ is also enjoyed throughout North India. Bhadang is served after garnishing with coriander, lemon juice and onions.

Common Ingredients Used in Bhel Puri Recipes:

There is a lot of confusion regarding what goes into the preparation of a bhelpuri. But some of the commonly used ingredients are puffed rice, mixture, sev (fried noodles like snack prepared from besan flour), onions, chillies, and boiled cut potatoes. Generally, different types of sauces and chutneys are also used to impart the spicy flavor to the bhelpuri. At least two types of chutneys: date chutney and tamarind chutney are used in the preparation of the bhelpuri. The date chutney is prepared by using dates and tamarind; tamarind chutney is prepared using coriander leaves and green chillies. Generally, the bhelpuri is served after garnishing with diced onions, coriander leaves, and green chillies.

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During the summers, sweet mango chunks are also added to the bhelpuri. The bhelpuri is either eaten with a spoon or a crispy wheat bread called ‘papri puries’. Bhelpuri may also be garnished with a combination of chunks of diced raw sweet mango, diced onions, coriander leaves, and chopped green chillies. It is sometimes served with papri puries, a deep-fried small round and crispy wheat bread.

Variations of Bhelpuri:

Sev Papdi Chat: It is prepared by mixing 2-3 types of chutneys, chana masala (horse gram mixture) and boiled potatoes.
Sev Puri: It is just a simplified version of the bhelpuri. It is prepared using sev, chutney, bhelpuri, and Papdi.
Dahi Puri: Dahi puri is the mixture of bhelpuri, Papdi, chutney, and yoghurt.
Mumbai Bhel Puri: This is a simple bhelpuri which is enjoyed as an evening snack across Mumbai, has now become popular the world over, and people especially come and relish this delicacy when are in Mumbai and want to treat on some street side famous foods also adapts itself to fusion concoctions as well.
Churumuri – Finely cut pieces of onion, tomato, coriander leaves along with chili powder are mixed, adding a few drops of coconut oil. Sometimes fried or roasted groundnuts may be added.

Sharing a few interesting fusion twists of taste ideas with our world-famous bhelpuri concept to sit back and enjoy this weekend: