Cheeselings Bhel is an interesting twist to the famous Bhel Puri which is a popular Indian savory snack. Substitute puffed rice to cheeselings & enjoy it!
The Indian street food scene is one of the best in the world. No, I am not the only one saying it. You pick up any food-travel based show or blog, you will definitely find a mention of it. If any non-Indian visits our country, they are overwhelmed by the varieties of food being made by street food vendors. All of you would have dined at restaurants (fancy or hole in the wall) but how many of you have enjoyed a seven course meal on the streets? Whenever you visit any Asian country (not just India), keep your reservations aside and go and enjoy the local street food. Nowadays, the vendors do maintain the hygiene and cleanliness so that you can enjoy the food without worrying about falling sick. There are restaurants that serve these street food varieties but trust me, it's not the same taste. In Bombay, there are many streets dedicated to food stalls and are fondly called Khau (means food) Galli (means street). In fact, my college was close to one and house was close to the other. On most days, on our way back from college, me and my friends would do a quick stop at this street before catching our train to head home. Enjoying those delicious dishes in the company of great friends on those sunny afternoons is one of my favorite memories of college life!
The other street near our house was frequented not just with friends but even with family. Dad would take us there occasionally to binge on the yummy street food. While my mom would always play safe and stick to the Pav Bhaji and Dosa stall, my dad, me and my brother would be all over the place trying out different snacks. When going with building friends, it would be a different scene. We all would pitch in the cost and order every possible dish that we can see. Meaning, we would order one dish from each vendor and share that one plate with the group. This way, we would get to taste all the dishes without getting full too soon. It was a win-win for all of us. Those really were some fun days. You can see how my association with food is deep-rooted. But let me tell you, just to watch a street food vendor put together the dish is quite a scene. They work swiftly and each one has their own individual style of presenting their dish. The plating skills are worth noticing and appreciating. The kind of creativity one finds here is out of the world. You must really witness it live to understand what the deal is. It's totally worth the experience. So don't forget, the next time you in any Asian country, taste the local street food!
Bhel Puri is an extremely popular Indian street food snack. It's made with kurmura
or puffed rice which acts as the base and then ingredients like onions, tomatoes, chillies, cilantro are added. Then 2 kinds of chutneys are added to the mix. One is the spicy green chutney and the other is the sweet and tangy tamarind, jaggery and dates chutney. All this is mixed together and then seasonings are added to it. Topped with sev and lemon juice, this makes as instant snack. If I have intrigued you enough, then do try this local dish out when in India. Every state has its own recipe but the one we make in Bombay is the best! OK, I may be biased when I say that but its true! As kids, I remember, we used to go to Juhu Beach/Chowpaty Beach on Sundays. Bhel puri was somehow associated with a trip to the beach back in those days, atleast for us. My dad would buy a plate of Bhel for all of us while he would have his favorite - Ragda Pattice. Back then our beach trips would consist of street food, gola (Frozen ice), horse ride, camel rice, long walks on the beach and lots of fun in the water. We had no fancy beach toys but me and my brother would build sand castles and be very content with our day at the beach. What fun those days were!
Cheeselings Bhel is an interesting twist to the Indian Bhelpuri! First we need to chop all the veggies finely. Chop onions, tomatoes, raw mango, cilantro, mint leaves and green chillies. Now take a mixing bowl
and add chopped onions, green chillies, mint, tomato and raw mango. Lightly mix and then add black salt
, chaat masala
, masala peanuts
, toasted corn
and cheeselings. Mix again and check the flavor. Add lemon juice
if it's not too salty. Before serving, add sev
and cilantro. Actually, I would suggest that you even add the cheeselings just before serving, else it will get soggy and loose its crunch. Cheeselings are a great alternative to kurmura and making this bhel will leave your guests surprised. It is truly an innovative bhel/snack recipe that can wow your guests with its flavors. Actually, if you have all the ingredients handy, you can put together this instant snack whenever you are hungry or are craving for something chatpata. This is your chaat fix for all those who are living away from India and miss the local street food. The cheesy flavor of the cheeselings along with the other ingredients added, makes a light, crunchy, crispy and super delicious snack that can be enjoyed by all across ages. And yes, most chaat items are vegan and oil free!
Cheeselings Bhel
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 raw mango
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
- 2 green chillies
- 1 tsp black salt
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 2 tbsp masala peanuts
- 2 tbsp toasted corn
- 2 cups cheeselings
- lemon juice as required
- 1/2 cup sev
Instructions
- Cheeselings Bhel is an interesting twist to the Indian Bhelpuri! First we need to chop all the veggies finely. Chop onions, tomatoes, raw mango, cilantro, mint leaves and green chillies. Now take a mixing bowl and add chopped onions, green chillies, mint, tomato and raw mango. Lightly mix and then add black salt, chaat masala, masala peanuts, toasted corn and cheeselings. Mix again and check the flavor. Add lemon juice if it's not too salty. Before serving, add sev and cilantro. Actually, I would suggest that you even add the cheeselings just before serving, else it will get soggy and loose its crunch. Cheeselings are a great alternative to kurmura and making this bhel will leave your guests surprised.
Looking for some street food inspiration? Here are some ideas for you - Mexican Pani Puri, 14 Vegetarian Street Food of the World!, Black Chana Chaat, Pav Bhaji Masala, Masala Toast, Vegan Matki Misal in an Instant Pot, Vegan Crispy Onion Pakoda | Fried Kanda Bhajiya, Potato Chilly Garlic Masala Toast, Bombay Style Veg Masala Toast Sandwich, Sev Puri Grill Sandwich, Masala Soda/Coke Popsicle, Step by Step Recipe of Bombay Special Vada Pav, Masala Dal Vada/Lentil Fritters, Semolina Vegetable Bites and Masala Dosa with Sweet Potato Filling.
Hi Priya, I love your website. I am curious what toasted corn is? I want to make this recipe.
Thanks!
Alonna
Thank you so much. You get toasted corn as a packaged snack. Its crispy and crunchy. You can skip adding that if you cannot find it. 🙂 Let me know how it turned out.