Chinese Bhel Recipe (Street Style)

Boiling noodles

1. Heat 3 cups water together with ⅓ teaspoon salt and 2 to 3 drops of oil in a sauce pan on a medium to high heat.
2. Let the water come to a rolling boil.
3. Lower the heat and add the noodles. With a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.
4. Cook noodles on a medium heat till they become al dente.
5. Check and taste a few noodle strands and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked.
6. Strain the noodles in a colander or strainer.
7. Then rinse the cooked noodles very well with fresh water. Use a spoon or fork to stir when rinsing noodles.
8. 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.
9. Before frying add 1.5 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) on the cooled noodles.
10. 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

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or a pan.
2. 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 heat need to be reduced.
3. Add noodles in batches. As soon as you add noodles, then with a slotted spoon separate them.
4. Fry till the base become light golden and crisp.
5. Then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.
6. Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.
7. Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the wok or pan.
8. Place fried noodles on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed. This way fry the noodles in batches.
9. Once cooled, then place the crispy fried noodles in an air-tight container.

Stir frying vegetables

1. Shred or finely chop the veggies. You can use a food processor or chop the veggies with a knife. 
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small wok or pan. Keep the heat to low to medium. Add ¼ cup chopped spring onions.
3. Sauté for a minute.
4. Then add ½ cup shredded cabbage, ⅓ cup shredded carrots and ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum. Mix well.
5. Stir fry on medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Ensure not to overdo the veggies. A slight bite in them is preferable.
6. Lower the heat and then add 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (or red chilli sauce or green chili sauce), 2 tablespoons sweet tamarind chutney (or tomato ketchup) and ½ tablespoon soy sauce (naturally fermented).
7. Mix very well.
8. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt as per taste.
9. Mix very well and turn off the heat.
10. Add 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens and mix again.

Assembling and making chinese bhel

1. In a mixing bowl take the fried noodles. Break the noodles.
2. Then add all of the stir fried veggie mixture.
3. Next add ¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts.
4. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon chaat masala and 2 to 3 pinches black salt.
5. 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.
6. Mix very well.
7. Serve Chinese Bhel right away garnished with some chopped coriander leaves and spring onion greens.