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Mumbai bhel puri

Name: Mumbai bhel puri
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: For the bhel; 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks; 1 tsp chaat masala (see tips); Olive oil for drizzling; 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed; 200g cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cucumber, cubed; 1 ripe mango, peeled and finely chopped; 2 raw beetroot, peeled and grated; 50g beansprouts; 1 red onion, very finely chopped; 250g full-fat Greek yogurt; 250g sev mamra (see tips); Seeds from 1 small pomegranate; For the green chutney; Large handful fresh mint leaves; Large handful fresh coriander leaves, plus extra to serve; 1 green chilli, deseeded if you don’t like too much heat; Juice 1 lime; ½ onion, peeled; 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground (see tips); 1 tsp chaat masala (see tips); 1 tsp soft brown sugar or jaggery; For the tamarind chutney; 2 tbsp palm sugar, jaggery or soft brown sugar; 20 pitted dates; 130g tamarind paste (see tips); Pinch red chilli powder to taste; 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and crushed (see tips); ½ tsp ground cinnamon

By: Ravinder Bhogal

Published: 26 Oct 15
Updated: 26 May 25

Ravinder Bhogal recreates an Indian street food recipe that makes her reminisce about her time exploring Mumbai.

Browse more Indian snacks and sides.

Medium
September 2015

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6
Hands-on time 1 hour, oven time 45 mins, plus deep frying

Ravinder Bhogal recreates an Indian street food recipe that makes her reminisce about her time exploring Mumbai.

Browse more Indian snacks and sides.

Vegetarian

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 846kcals
Fat: 33.9g (7.4g saturated)
Protein: 20.8g
Carbohydrates: 106.2g (50.3 g sugars)
Fibre: 16.4g
Salt: 1g

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Ingredients

For the bhel

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 tsp chaat masala (see tips)
Olive oil for drizzling
400g tin chickpeas, rinsed
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, cubed
1 ripe mango, peeled and finely chopped
2 raw beetroot, peeled and grated
50g beansprouts
1 red onion, very finely chopped
250g full-fat Greek yogurt
250g sev mamra (see tips)
Seeds from 1 small pomegranate

For the green chutney

Large handful fresh mint leaves
Large handful fresh coriander leaves, plus extra to serve
1 green chilli, deseeded if you don’t like too much heat
Juice 1 lime
½ onion, peeled
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground (see tips)
1 tsp chaat masala (see tips)
1 tsp soft brown sugar or jaggery

For the tamarind chutney

2 tbsp palm sugar, jaggery or soft brown sugar
20 pitted dates
130g tamarind paste (see tips)
Pinch red chilli powder to taste
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and crushed (see tips)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chaat masala (see tips)

You’ll also need…

A digital or heavy-duty sugar thermometer

Method

To make the puris, mix the flour and semolina in a bowl. Add a little warm water at a time, kneading as you go, until you have a soft, springy dough. Roll out to around 2mm thick.
Use a 5cm round cutter to cut out 15-16 circles, then punch holes into them using a fork to prevent them puffing up when cooked. Heat a large, deep saucepan with groundnut or sunflower oil to 190°C when tested with a digital thermometer.
Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Deep-fry the puris in the hot oil in 2 batches for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Transfer the puris to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes to harden. Remove and allow them to cool.

For the bhel, turn the oven up to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Season the sweet potato with black pepper and chaat masala. Drizzle with olive oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until tender.
For the green chutney, whizz the ingredients in a food processor. For the tamarind chutney, put the sugar and dates in a medium pan and just cover with water. Put over a high heat until the water boils, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the tamarind, then purée in a mini blender. Strain through a fine metal sieve to remove any residue. Mix in the remaining ingredients and stir in a little water if it’s too thick – it should have the consistency of ketchup.
Start the layering with the puris (crush them if you like). Top with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, mango, beetroot, beansprouts, onion, dollops of green chutney and tamarind chutney, yogurt, sev mamra, pomegranate seeds and a few coriander leaves. Serve immediately

Recipe from September 2015 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 846kcals
Fat: 33.9g (7.4g saturated)
Protein: 20.8g
Carbohydrates: 106.2g (50.3 g sugars)
Fibre: 16.4g
Salt: 1g

delicious. tips

Buy chaat masala, sev mamra and tamarind paste in the world food/spice or snack aisles of larger supermarkets, or from Asian grocers. Alternatively, buy everything you need online at theasiancookshop.co.uk.
To toast cumin seeds, heat them in a dry pan (no oil) over a moderate heat until aromatic, but take care not to let them burn.
Make the puris and store in an airtight container for up to a week. Make the tamarind chutney up to a week ahead and keep sealed in the fridge.