| Bhelpuri | |
| Country: | India |
| Region: | Maharashtra, Nepal, Gujarat, Odisha, Bengal, Mysuru, Karnataka |
| Type: | Snack, chaat |
| Main Ingredient: | Puffed rice, sev |
| Variations: | Sevpuri, dahi bhelpuri, sev papdi chaat |
Bhelpuri is a savoury snack originally from India, and is also a type of chaat. It is made of puffed rice, crumbled crunchy puri, onions, cilantro and tossed with two chutneys: a green spicy cilantro chutney[1] and a brown tangy tamarind chutney.[2] [3]
Bhel is often identified as a 'beach snack', strongly associated with the beaches of Mumbai, such as Chowpatty or Juhu.[4] One theory for its origin is that it was invented at a restaurant called Vithal near Victoria Terminus. According to another theory, bhelpuri was conceived by the city's Gujarati community, who made it by adding complex flavours to the simple North Indian chaat. Gujarati housewives began making it and invented several varieties like the pakodi puri, and as it grew in popularity, many communities made their own regional variations.[5]
The Mumbai recipe has spread to most parts of India, where it has been modified to suit local food availability. Dry bhel is made from bhadang, a spicy namkeen (snack) from Western Maharashtra, and is consumed after garnishing with onions, coriander and lemon juice.[6] The Bengali variant of bhelpuri is called jhalmuri (meaning "spicy puffed rice") and bhelpuri refers to panipuri instead in that ethnicity.[7] A local Karnataka variant of bhelpuri is known as churumuri or churmuri.[8] The recipe exists in many parts of India.
Bhelpuri is made from puffed rice and sev (a fried snack shaped like thin noodles made from besan flour) mixed with potatoes, onions, chat masala and chutney and a mixture of other fried snacks as the base of the snack.[9] Bhelpuri has a balance of sweet, salty, tart and spicy flavors, with different textures as well, including crispy and crunchy from the puffed rice and fried sev. Other commonly used ingredients include tomatoes and chillis added to the base. In northern India, recipes also include boiled potatoes cut into small pieces.[10]