Laiya Bhel, a popular chaat Banarasi Street food. It is a bhel made with puffed rice, fried chana, and peanuts. Just like other chats, they add finely chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies. A lip-smacking munch from the streets of the city!
This is featured in the Banarasi Street Food, where I made Tamatar Chaat, Chena Dahi Vada, Banarasi Gol Gappe, Dahi Chutney wale Gol Gappe & Katori Chat
As Accompaniments, I served Khajur Imli Chutney, Hara Chutney, Sweet Curds, Boondi & Sev.
The whole platter was a delightful experience. Street food surely excites everybody. I sharing a street food special this week.
I adapted this from Vaishali's post on Laiya Bhel. Checking the net for other sources, I came across posts that were talking about regular Bhel. Some are with just murmura. So there is another dish Laaiya Chana which is with boiled chana instead of puffed rice.
Laiya is puffed rice. It is also called Kurmura, where it is roasted with turmeric powder and salt. They then mix it with kokle chane and roasted peanuts. Kokhle Chane is roasted or fried chana. All these can be served with onions, tomatoes, chilies, and spice powders. However, Laiya Bhel is all these mixed together with Puffed rice and served.
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Ingredients
Deep fried Lentils are the highlight of this Chaat. We can bake the lentil as well instead of deep-frying.
Murmura / Puffed Rice - This puffed rice is crispy and delicious as we roast them in salt and turmeric. We can add red chili powder as well.
Other Ingredients - We can add finely chopped onions, tomatoes, and green chilies to make it more flavoursome.
Spice powders - We use simple spice powders like Red chili powder, Chat Masala in this chaat.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Frying the lentils
We will be using kabuli Chana, Peanuts, and Yellow or Green Dried Peas. Soak the Chana and Peas overnight before frying.
So soak and change the water a couple of times, before drying to make it completely dry. This way the lentil don't go soft after frying.
Make sure the oil is hot before frying the lentil and stir well for the lentil to fry on all sides. Drain on a kitchen towel.
Add the spice powders for the fried lentils to absorb the spice.
To make the Bhel
We will be using the masala puffed rice, so cook the puffed rice in salt and turmeric powder and it becomes crispy. If you want to use it right away, you can serve it. Else you can store this in an airtight container.
Assembling the Laiya Bhel
When you are ready to serve the Laiya Bhel, take a bowl, add the roasted puffed rice, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, coriander leaves, and toss well.
Next, add the roasted lentil as required. Mix everything well.
Sprinkle chat masala on top, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve right away.
If you fancy, serve in paper cones and enjoy!
Substitutions
I have deep-fried all the lentils in this recipe. However, you can bake them or pan-fry them to make it more healthy. If you have airfryer, it should turn out very well. I haven't tried it though.
If you can't make masala puffed rice, you can get it ready-made from the store. Though it may not taste as good as homemade, it is still a choice.
If you are not able to get mango, you can skip it.
Variations
Just like the regular Bhel, you can add boiled potato to this as well.
Add more chutneys for an extra kick. Instead of deep-fried peanuts, you can add salted roasted peanuts for a different taste.
Another interesting twist would be to add masala chana that comes coated with besan and deep-fried.
This is very much like Jhalmuri of Bengali or Churumuri of Karnataka
Equipment
We need a kadai or a pan for deep frying. If you are opting for pan-roasted or baked, you will need an oven or a pan for the same.
A mixing bowl and paper cups for serving.
Storage
The individual ingredients before mixing can be stored for a couple of days. However, once you mix everything you will have to serve it right away.
Store the fried masala lentils in an airtight container and it will stay good for 2 to 3 days.
Similarly, we always make masala puffed rice and have it for a week.
Expert Tips
After soaking and draining the lentils, make sure it is dry. Else after deep frying, it will turn soggy or soft.
Roasting the puffed rice for a longer time will make it hard. So heat the pan properly before adding the puffed rice. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoning, spice and immediately add the puffed rice and toss.
Serving it right away keeps this chaat crispy.
Other recipes with Puffed Rice:
Recipe
Laiya Bhel | Puffed Rice Lentil Chat ~ Banarasi Street food
Ingredients
For the Fried Lentils
- 1/2 cup Peanut
- 1/2 cup Kabuli Chana
- 1/2 cup Peas
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Chat Masala
- 1/4 teaspoons Roasted Cumin Powder
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
Other ingredients for the Bhel
- 1 cup Puffed Rice
- 1/4 cup Onions finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Raw Mango finely chopped
- 2 Green Chili finely chopped
- Handful Coriander leaves finely chopped
- Chaat masala to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
Frying the Lentils
- Wash and soak the chana overnight.
- Wash and soak peas overnight if using dried peas.
- Drain completely and let it get dry.
- Heat a kadai with oil, when it is hot, deep fry chana in batches.
- Drain onto a kitchen towel.
- Next, add a handful of peas, continue with the whole batch.
- Remove and keep it aside.
- Similarly, deep fry peanuts until done, drain well.
- Once all are fried, shake well to remove excess oil.
- Sprinkle the spice powders and mix well.
To make the Bhel
- Heat a kadai with oil, add salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.
- Add the puffed rice and toss well. Let it cook for a few minutes and remove.
Assembling the Laiya Bhel
- In a bowl, add the roasted puffed rice, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, coriander leaves, and toss well.
- Next, add the roasted lentil as required. Mix everything well.
- Sprinkle chat masala on top, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve right away.
- If you fancy, serve in paper cones and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Radha says
Sounds very delicious! Bhel is always comforting and the fried peas give a great crunch! Yum!
Harini says
OMG! this is such a lip smacking chaat to have. I am ready to go make it right now 🙂
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
I wish I could snatch that plate of chat... so delicious and filling...