Chinese bhel is an Indo-Chinese fusion food invented on the streets on Mumbai. Sinfully soaked in Chinese sauces, the fried noodles mingle with the stir-fried vegetables resulting in a crisp, spicy, on the go snack. Brisk sales at every street corner shows the popularity of this addictive street food.
A word of caution to the Chinese bhel lovers- beware of the high fat content and ajinomoto (monosodium glutamate) sprinkle- both are potential health hazards if consumed regularly.
Eat with caution and eat sensible should be the dictum – Happy Eating
Ingredients for Chinese Bhel:
- Crisp fried noodles- 1 cup
- Vegetable strips- 1 cup (cabbage,carrots,onions,tomatoes,capsicum)
- Green gram sprouts -¼ cup
- Ginger juliennes -1 tsp
- Green chilly sauce – 2 tbsp
- Soy sauce dark- 1 tbsp
- Tomato sauce -2 tbsp
- Tamarind chutney for drizzle
- Coriander leaves finely chopped 1/4 cup
For Crisp Fried Noodles:
Ingredients:
- Instant noodles- 2 packs
- Cornflour -1 tsp
- Oil- 1 tsp
- Salt -½ tsp
- Water- 1 liter
- Oil for frying
Crisp Noodles Preparation Method:
- Heat the water till it comes to a rolling boil.
- Add the broken noodles along with salt and oil.
- Cook till “al dente’
- Drain well and spread on a tray/plate.
- Drizzle some oil and toss well such that oil coats all the noodle strands.
- Sprinkle some corn starch and allow to air dry for 2 hours.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. When hot, deep fry the noodles till crisp and creamy brown in colour.
- Crush and use for Chinese bhel.
Preparation of Chinese Bhel:
- Take a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add a tbsp of oil. Add the vegetables and stir fry till crunchy.
- Mix all ingredients. Toss well such that sauces blend well with the noodles and vegetables.
- Serve with a drizzle of sauces and sprinkle of coriander.
Note
- Al dente is a cooking method where the noodle is cooked in such a manner that it’s stiff and the bite can be felt.
- Do not fry the noodles till brown.
- The stir-fried vegetables should be crunchy. Soft vegetables will spoil the texture and taste of the bhel.
