Chinese Bhel

Chinese Bhel

"Bhel" is the quintessential snack from Mumbai, perhaps second only to Samosas in terms of global fame. Chinese Bhel is something born on the streets on Mumbai; It is a perfect marriage of Indian and Chinese cuisine with fried crispy noodles substituting puffed rice in the Bhel with some other variations thrown in.

This is a simple recipe to follow and I am certain it is a snack you'll want to make over and over! Here is what you will need (ingredients to serve 2-3)

• 1 slab of raw vegetarian hakka noodles (100-150 grams)
• Oil to fry
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Cabbage shredded
• 1/2 cup Carrots shredded
• 2.5 Tblsp Tomato ketchup
• 1.5 Tblsp red Chilli sauce (or Sriracha sauce)
• 1.5 Tblsp Vinegar
• 1.5 Tblsp Soy sauce
• 0.5 Tsp Salt
• 3-4 springs of Spring Onion

For the noodles, you can use any store bought noodles pack that you would use for lo-mein. Soak the noodles in cold water for 30 to 45 minutes. Noodles will be one slab at first and that is fine - they will be easier to maneuver after the soak.  In the meantime, slice the vegetables as shown below.

You can prepare the sauce as well - in a bowl, add the tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, vinegar and soy sauce together and mix well. That's it - keep this aside.

At this time, you can begin frying the noodles. Drain all the water from the noodles and work with your fingers to untangle them as much as possible. I have found that this helps the frying process. Even though the noodles are wet, you should not have to worry about oil splatters. Drop the noodles into oil at med-high heat and fry for a good 3-4 minutes. If you take them out any earlier, the noddles come out soggy.This can be a little tricky since the noodles won't brown either. Test this out with a small batch first until you have a hang of it.

In a pan, heat 2 Tblsp of oil. Add crushed garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. You will want the vegetables to get cooked but not too soggy. If you feel the vegetables are burning due to lack of oil, cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for 30 seconds.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the sauce and mix well. Add the salt - go  easy on the salt since the sauce has a high salt context already. Add some spring onion (keep some for garnishing) and finally, add the crisp noodles. Toss the mixture well and garnish with green onions.

That's it - Enjoy!