Bhelpuri: The Low-Fat, Nutritious Snack That Is Perfect For You!
The chat is most popular food items in Western India. The group of different snacks that are tangy and spicy are called chat. Different states have different variations of the chaat, like golgappa from Uttar Pradesh which is also called as Pani Puri in Maharashtra and Fuchka in Bengal. This chatpata chaat is known as BHEL in Maharashtra. While in other states like Kannada, it is known as churumuri and is one of the most famous form of chaat.
Although it is touted as a low-fat super tasty snack now, it was not considered as one before. Now you can find the dish on every other menu in restaurants in India. Apart from becoming the nation’s favourite snack, the dish has also become a hit with chefs. They are now experimenting with the recipe and coming up with delectable variations that can be hard to resist for chat lovers. At present, there are so many variations that it can be difficult for you to choose one, although food bloggers recommend you to try all of them at least once in your lifetime.
The dish enjoys popularity among both young and old. Bengalis may love sweets more than snacks, but they cannot resist the snack either, and hence, to them, the snack is Jhal Muri. North India has its variation of the chaat, which is called bhadang.
The main ingredient used in the dish is puffed rice. Then groundnuts, spices, potatoes, tamarind sauce, and BHEL are added to the puffed rice. Mix all of these, and you have a plate of chaat ready!
The History Of India’s Most Loved Chaat
Although the chaat is available in every street stall and restaurant in the country, the origin of the dish is not known. Although there are no hardcore facts to prove the chaat’s origin, there are several stories regarding the history of the chaat. The most popular of them is the story that includes Shah Jahan.
As the legend goes, the Savory snack was first made in the kitchen of Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan was advised by his doctor to have something lightweight for snacks. But Shah Jahan was fond of spicy food. So the royal cooks had to come up with a dish that was both lightweight and spice bomb. This satisfied Shah Jahan’s cravings, and also kept him healthy. There is yet another story that involves a Gujarati merchant. It is believed by many that the Gujarati merchant first introduced the Bhel puri. But the real origin of the dish is still a mystery. Maharshtra and Northern states have their own unique versions of bhelpuri. It is one snack that is healthy tasty and tangy.