·       INTRODUCTION

• Chinese bhel has sweet, tangy and spicy taste. This recipe of Chinese bhel is too delicious and tastes exactly like a street style chaat snack. 
• In Chinese bhel, fried crispy noodles are used with stir fried veggies and a few sauces. When I make Chinese bhel I prefer to use sweet tamarind chutney as it gives a really nice sour and sweet taste in the bhel.
• To make this bhel you need to use three different types of sauces or chutneys – a spicy sauce, a sweet sauce and a tangy or sour sauce. You can even use green chutney or red chili chutney or schezwan sauce.

·       INGREDIENTS

For Frying Noodles

▢75 grams noodles (Hakka noodles, instant noodles, or whole wheat noodles) or 2 cups fried noodles

▢⅓ teaspoon salt or add as required

▢3 cups water

▢1.5 tablespoons cornflour (corn starch)

For Stir Frying Veggies For Chinese Bhel

▢2 teaspoons oil

▢½ cup  cabbage

▢⅓ cup  carrots

▢⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum

▢¼ cup chopped spring onions

▢1 tablespoon  red chili sauce or green chili sauce

▢2 tablespoons sweet tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup

▢½ tablespoon soya sauce (naturally fermented or naturally brewed)

▢salt as required

▢¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

▢2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens

Other Ingredients For Chinese Bhel

▢¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes

▢2 tablespoons roasted peanuts

▢¼ teaspoon chaat masala

▢2 to 3 pinches black salt

▢1 tablespoon coriander leaves

▢1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens

▢some lemon juice – optional

For Garnish:

▢1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens

▢1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

·        RECIPE

Boiling Noodles For Chinese Bhel

• Heat 3 cups water in a sauce pan on a medium to high flame. Add ⅓ teaspoon salt.
• Also add 2 to 3 drops of oil to the water.
• Let the water come to a rolling boil.
• Lower the flame and add 75 grams noodles. with a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.
• Cook noodles on a medium flame till they become al dente.
• Check and taste a few noodle strands and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked.
• Strain the noodles in a colander.
• Then rinse the cooked noodles very well with fresh water. Use a spoon or fork to stir when rinsing noodles.
• Remove the noodles in a large plate or tray. Spread them evenly. Let noodles cool at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours. Later after 1.5 to 2 hours you can begin to deep fry them.
• Before frying add 1.5 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.
• Mix very well so that the corn flour (corn starch) coats the noodles well. You can use a pasta or noodle tong to mix.

Frying Noodles For Chinese Bhel

• Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or a pan.
• Add a few strands of the noodles and if they come up steadily and gradually then you can begin to fry them. If they settle down at the bottom, the oil needs to get hot. If they come up too quickly then the oil is very hot, so the flame need to be reduced.
• Add noodles in batches. as soon as you add noodles, then with a slotted spoon separate them.
• Fry till the base become light golden and crisp.
• Then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.
• Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.
• Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the kadai or pan.
• Place fried noodles on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed. This way fry the noodles in batches.
• Once cooled, then place the crispy fried noodles in an air-tight container.

Stir Frying Veggies For Chinese Bhel

• Shred or finely chop the veggies. You can use a food processor or chop the veggies with a knife. 
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small wok or pan. Keep the flame to low to medium. Add ¼ cup chopped spring onions.
• Sauté for a minute.
• Then add ½ cup shredded cabbage, ⅓ cup shredded carrots and ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum. Mix well.
• Stir fry on medium to high flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Lower the flame and then add 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (red chilli sauce or green chili sauce), 2 tablespoons sweet tamarind chutney (or tomato ketchup) and ½ tablespoon soy sauce (naturally fermented).
• Mix very well.
• Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt as per taste.
• Mix very well and switch off the flame.
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens. mix again.

Making Chinese Bhel

• In a mixing bowl take the fried noodles. Break the noodles.
• Then add all of the stir fried veggie mixture.
• Next add ¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts.
• Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon chaat masala and 2 to 3 pinches black salt.
• Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion greens. At this step you can also drizzle a bit of lemon or lime juice.
• Mix very well.
• Serve chinese bhel right away garnished with some chopped coriander leaves and spring onion greens.