Bombay Bhel Food

BHEL PURI (BHEL RECIPE)

Steps:

• Cooking potatoes - Rinse the potatoes very well in fresh water. Then boil 1 large potato or 2 medium sized potatoes in a 2 litre pressure cooker or in a pan with enough water.
• If using a pressure cooker, then pour water just about covering the potatoes. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. Once the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Drain the water and place the potatoes in a bowl.
• You can also cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot or in a pan adding water as required.
• Let the potatoes cool or become warm at room temperature.
• Rinse and roughly chop ½ cup fresh coriander leaves (or ¼ cup mint leaves + ¼ cup coriander leaves).
• Add the coriander leaves in a small grinder jar. Also add chopped ginger, green chillies, chaat masala, salt and lemon juice.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as required and grind to a smooth chutney. Avoid making green chutney thin. Remove green chutney in a bowl and keep aside.
• Peel 16 to 18 medium to large sized garlic cloves. Rinse them and add in the same grinder jar.
• Also add kashmiri red chili powder and salt.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as required and grind or blend to a smooth consistency. Remove red chutney in a bowl and keep aside.
• In a small pan take jaggery, amchur powder (dry mango powder), kashmiri red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, dry ginger powder (optional) and black salt or regular salt.
• Add 3 tablespoons water. Mix very well.
• Keep this pan on the stove top and heat on a low flame.
• Let the mixture gently heat. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly, then switch off the heat. Keep aside. Check the taste and if required you can add some more jaggery or mango powder if required
• Peel and chop the potatoes. Finely chop 1 small to medium sized onion and 1 medium sized tomato. You can also chop 1 green chilli if you want. Chop some coriander leaves too.
• Take the puffed rice (murmura) in a pan. On a low heat stirring often dry roast the puffed rice. If your puffed rice is already crispy and crunchy then you don't need to roast them.
• Roast the puffed rice for 2 to 3 minutes they become crisp. You don't need to brown them. Let the puffed rice cool at room temperature.
• Assemble everything before you begin. Keep the chutneys in a bowl. These chutneys stay well for about a week in the fridge. So you can keep the leftovers in the fridge.
• In a bowl now take the chopped boiled potatoes, onions and tomatoes. You can also include some boiled moong beans or steamed moong bean sprouts at this step.
• Add sweet chutney, green chutney and red chutney. You can add the amount of chutneys as per the taste you want in a bhel puri.
• Sprinkle ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala and ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder. Also add some black salt as per taste. If you do not have black salt, then use pink salt, rock salt or white salt.
• Drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice or according to taste. Mix very well.
• Now top with 1 tablespoon masala chana (optional) and 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts. At this step you can also add some crushed puri or papdi.
• Add the puffed rice and cup sev (fried gram flour vermicelli).
• With a spoon, just swirl the whole bhelpuri mixture together well and be quick.
• Serve bhel puri immediately in individual bowls or plates. Top up with some sev and more coriander leaves if you want. If you don't serve bhel immediately then the puffed rice becomes soggy and you won't enjoy it. So be quick in serving.

BOMBAY BHEL

Steps:

• Cut potatoes in half and boil until cooked through but still firm. Plunge into ice water, drain well, and cube. Combine puffed rice, corn flakes, and cashew nuts in a baking dish and toast in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes, turning once. Chop onion and coriander leaves.
• In a small bowl, mix together chutney, ketchup, lime juice, and cayenne/chili pepper. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss lightly until mixed. Serve warm.