Bhel puri

This is the version we make at home, but given the breadth of the genre of bhel/chaat, may be different to others you have tried. This is ideal for anything to do with Summer!

Serves 4-6

 

Ingredients

about half a box of puri for pani puri (you can usually buy these pre fried ready to go!)

1-2tsp coriander / cumin seeds mixed, toasted and ground

500g new / waxy potatoes, scrubbed clean

250g cooked chickpeas

1 large or 2 small unripe mangos (they should be eating mangos that are pretty firm and under ripe)

1 small banana shallot

1 green chilli

2-3 limes

Salt

Red chilli powder (optional)

 

200-250g fresh or fresh frozen shredded coconut (defrosted)

1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped (around 80-100g)

 

50-75g puffed rice (available from Indian / South East Asian shops)

50-75g crispy chickpea vermicelli (available from Indian shops, known as Sev)

You can often also buy premixed rice and vermicelli – ‘sev mumra’, sometimes it includes skin on peanuts which is also a great addition to this!

 

Tamarind – dried block or paste ideally (available from most large supermarkets and all Asian shops)

200-250g Full fat yoghurt (optional - skip if you want it vegan!)

Method:

  1. Dice the potatoes (approx. 1cm) and boil in salted water until cooked – leave to steam dry and cool.

  2. Soak the tamarind in boiled water for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, pushing through all the liquid to leave a thin sauce – set aside until ready to serve.

  3. Toast and grind the cumin / coriander seeds.

  4. Dice the mango, the same size as the potatoes.

  5. Finely chop the shallot and green chilli.

  6. Mix the potatoes, mangos, chickpeas, chilli and shallot. Season with lime, salt, the cumin / coriander mix, and chilli powder (if using).

  7. In your serving bowl, roughly break up the puri and scatter over the bottom of the bowl. pile over the chickpea mixture, then the shredded coconut. Next the yoghurt (if using), and some more chilli powder. Next the chopped coriander and finally the puffed rice and vermicelli.

  8. Dress generously with the tamarind sauce when ready to eat, and serve immediately!