Chinese Bhel (Street Style)

Chinese bhel recipe with step by step pics. Chinese bhel is an adaptation of American Chopsuey Recipe and also a fusion recipe that is made for Indian tastebuds. I have shared the easiest way to make a Street Style Chinese Bhel on this post here. It makes for a quick and yummy starter too.

Similar to Bhel Puri, 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.

To make Chinese bhel

• The sauces I have used are soy sauce (naturally fermented), sweet tamarind chutney and sriracha sauce. Instead of sriracha sauce you can use red chilli sauce or sweet chilli sauce. Instead of sweet tamarind chutney you can use tomato ketchup. In fact you can use a combination of your favorite sauces.
• You can add veggies of your choice. Veggies that can be added are cabbage, carrots, baby corn, capsicum (bell pepper) and boiled sweet corn. You can also add some sprouts if you want.

For making Chinese bhel, noodles are cooked and then deep fried. In this post I have shared the method of deep frying noodles. But for a detailed post, you can check the recipe method here – How to make fried noodles. You can use whichever noodles you have – instant, whole wheat, hakka or all purpose flour noodles.

Since cooking and frying takes some time, I fry the noodles a day earlier and keep them stored in an air-tight container. Then the next day I just need to chop the veggies and stir fry them. So less time is taken. If you use readymade fried noodles than within 15 to 20 minutes you can make Chinese bhel.

Serve Chinese bhel as soon as you assemble it, or else it will turn soggy. While serving you can garnish it with some chopped coriander leaves and spring onion greens.

How to make Chinese Bhel

Boiling Noodles

1. Heat 3 cups water in a sauce pan on a medium to high heat. Add ⅓ teaspoon salt.

2. Also add 2 to 3 drops of oil to the water.

3. Let the water come to a rolling boil.

4. Lower the heat and add 75 grams noodles. You can use instant, whole wheat, hakka or all purpose flour noodles.

5. With a fork or a spoon press the noodles in the boiling water.

6. Cook noodles on a medium heat till they become al dente.

7. Check and taste a few noodle strands and they should have a slight bite to them. They should not be completely cooked.

8. Strain the noodles in a colander.

9. Then rinse the cooked noodles very well with fresh water.

10. Use a spoon to stir when rinsing noodles.

11. 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.

12. Before frying add 1.5 tablespoons of corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.

13. 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

14. 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 heat needs to be reduced.

15. Add noodles in batches.

16. As soon as you add noodles, then with a slotted spoon separate them.

17. Fry till the base become light golden and crisp. then turn over and fry the second side till crisp and light golden.

18. Turn over a couple of times and fry till the noodles become golden.

19. Remove fried noodles with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in the kadai or pan.

20. 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

21. Shred or finely chop the veggies. You can use a food processor or chop the veggies with a knife.

You will need ½ cup shredded cabbage, ⅓ cup shredded carrots, ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum and ¼ cup chopped spring onions.

22. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small wok or pan. Keep the heat to low to medium. Add ¼ cup chopped spring onions.

23. Sauté for a minute.

24. Then add ½ cup shredded cabbage, ⅓ cup shredded carrots and ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum. Mix well.

25. Stir fry on medium to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

26. 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).

27. Mix very well.

28. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt as per taste.

29. Mix very well and switch off the heat.

30. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped spring onion greens.

31. Mix again.

Making Chinese Bhel

32. In a mixing bowl take the fried noodles. Break the noodles.

33. Then add all of the stir fried veggie mixture.

34. Next add ¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts.

35. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon chaat masala and 2 to 3 pinches black salt.

36. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon of chopped spring onion greens. At this step, you can also drizzle a bit of lemon or lime juice.

37. Mix very well.

38. Serve Chinese bhel right away garnished with some chopped coriander leaves and spring onion greens.

If you don’t serve it immediately then it will become soggy. So for the best taste and texture have the Chinese bhel as soon as it is prepared.

Few more noodles recipes to check:

• Chowmein – chow mein noodles is a popular and tasty Indian street food.
• Hakka noodles – this veg hakka noodles recipe taste delicious and will have you craving for more.
• Schezwan noodles – spicy and tasty noodles made with veggies and schezwan sauce.
• Chilli garlic noodles – these noodles are spiced up with garlic, red chili sauce and dry red chilies.
• Noodles recipe – this is an easy and tasty recipe of vegetable noodles.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more veetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Chinese Bhel post from the blog archives first published in November 2017 has been updated and republished on December 2022.