Chinese Bhel: The Ultimate Indian Street Snack

wellhealthorganic.com Chinese Bhel: Chinese Bhel represents a delightful amalgamation of flavors, borrowing inspiration from the American Chopsuey while catering to the distinct palate preferences of Indian cuisine. This beloved street food delight seamlessly blends deep-fried noodles with a medley of stir-fried vegetables, peanuts, tangy tomatoes, a hint of lemon juice, and a carefully curated selection of seasonings.

Chinese Bhel

• Preparation Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Cuisine: Indian Street Food, Indo Chinese
• Course: Snacks, Starters
• Diet: Vegan
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Ingredients:

For frying noodles:

1. 75 grams noodles (such as hakka noodles, instant noodles, or whole wheat noodles) or 2 cups fried noodles
2. ⅓ teaspoon salt, or as needed
3. 3 cups water for cooking noodles
4. 1.5 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
5. Oil for deep frying noodles

For stir-frying veggies:

1. 2 teaspoons oil
2. ½ cup shredded cabbage
3. ⅓ cup shredded carrots
4. ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum
5. ¼ cup chopped spring onions
6. 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, red chilli sauce, or green chili sauce
7. 2 tablespoons Tamarind Chutney or tomato ketchup
8. ½ tablespoon soy sauce (naturally fermented)
9. Salt, to taste
10. ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
11. 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens

Other ingredients:

1. ¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes
2. 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
3. ¼ teaspoon chaat masala
4. 2 to 3 pinches black salt, or to taste
5. 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
6. 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens
7. ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

For garnish:

1. 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens
2. 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Also Read: Kadhi Pakora

Instructions:

Boiling noodles:

1. In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil with ⅓ teaspoon salt and a few drops of oil.
2. Add the noodles and cook until they are al dente.
3. Strain the noodles and rinse them with fresh water. Allow them to cool for 1.5 to 2 hours.
4. Once cooled, coat the noodles evenly with 1.5 tablespoons of cornflour.

Frying noodles:

1. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan for deep frying.
2. Fry the noodles in batches until they turn light golden and crisp. Drain excess oil on paper towels and store them in an airtight container once cooled.

Stir-frying vegetables:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a wok or pan and sauté chopped spring onions.
2. Add shredded cabbage, carrots, and capsicum. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Lower the heat and add sriracha sauce, tamarind chutney, soy sauce, black pepper powder, and salt. Mix well.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle in the chopped spring onion greens.

Assembling Chinese Bhel:

1. In a mixing bowl, break the fried noodles and add the stir-fried vegetable mixture.
2. Add chopped tomatoes, roasted peanuts, chaat masala, black salt, chopped coriander leaves, and spring onion greens. Optionally, drizzle with lemon juice.
3. Mix well and serve immediately, garnished with chopped coriander leaves and spring onion greens.

Also Read: Kothimbir Vadi

Notes:

• Chinese Bhel can be prepared using various types of noodles such as instant noodles, all-purpose flour, whole wheat, or Hakka noodles.
• Ensure the noodles are cooked to an al dente texture before frying.
• Use a food processor for shredding or finely chopping vegetables for faster preparation.
• Substitute sriracha sauce with spicy red chili sauce or green chili sauce, and sweet tamarind chutney with tomato ketchup according to preference.