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!

Guacamole

Guacamole

I have really gotten addicted to Guacamole over the last few months: It is my go to appetizer in Mexican food. Guacamole is a traditional Mexican dip with tortilla chips. Here is a simple recipe that is sure to be a hit at any party, pot luck or an evening at home.

• 3 avocados
• 1 Roma tomato
• 1 medium red onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 Serrano pepper
• 1/2 Tsp red pepper
• 1 Tsp ground roaster cumin powder
• 1 Tsp Salt

If have not picked avocados at the market before, here are 2 broad thumb rules to follow. Visually they should be brown but with a hint of green. Second, they should feel firm but not too firm.

First off, cut, peel and half the avocados as shown below. Avocados are very easy to peel - you first halve them - the seed remains in one of the halves.You should be able to peel the skin off with your fingers and be able to pop the seed out with a spoon or a knife.

Next, we need to mash the avocados. How and how much you mash depends on the overall consistency you desire. This is very much like salsa - some like it chunky, some don't. I prefer medium,so I usually use the blender to give it a quick whirl and get the desired consistency. Usually you should be able to use a potato masher or even a spoon to get the job done. This is a before and after of my avocados:

Transfer the mashed avocados to a bowl. Now add the finely chopped onion and tomato into the bowl as well. I usually leave the juicy seeds of the tomato out of the recipe but you can throw that in as well.Now slice the Serrano pepper, remove the seeds, mince it and add to the bowl as well. 

Chop the cilantro and ad it along with the salt and spices. Finally, add the juice of the lime to the mixture. You should a very colorful mix in the bowl :)

Mix well and refrigerate for about 20 minutes before serving with tortilla chips.

¡Buen provecho!