bHeLpUrI !!!!

Bhelpuri is a a puffed rice dish with potatoes and a tangy tamarind sauce. It is a type of chaat or small plates of savory snacks, particularly identified with the beaches of Mumbai , such as Chowpatty.

There is much disagreement on what goes into the "original" bhel puri, even among chaat experts. Most recipes include puffed rice, sev, (a fried snack shaped like thin noodles made from besan flour) and mixture ( a mix of different types of fried snacks mixed together), as the base of the snack. Other commonly used ingredients include tomatoes, onions and chilis added to the base; northern recipes also add boiled and cut potatoes. Different chutneys impart a sweet or spicy flavour. There are two popular chutneys used, a dark purple sweet one made mainly of dates and tamarind, and a green spicy chutney made of coriander leaves and green chilis.

Another variation is to sprinkle the chat with chunks of diced sweet mango. The finished snack is often garnished with a combination of diced onions, coriander leaves and chopped green chilis. It is sometimes served with papri puris, a deep fried small round and crispy wheat bread. The result is a sour/pungent/sweet tasting evening snack that is a treat for the tastebuds and a good source of carbohydrates and minerals.

There are many variants of Bhelpuri:

• Sevpuri - a mixture of bhelpuri, chutney, papdi and sev
• Dahi puri - a mixture of bhelpuri, chutney, papdi and savoured with lot of youghurt.
• Sev papdi chaat - a lot like sevpuri but with 2-3 types of chutney, potatoes, chana masala