Bhel (Curried Puffed Rice)

Bhel is a concoction that I often bought from street vendors in India as a child and my mouth still waters at the memory. The contributors say: "... this recipe is directed at those who know what bhelpuri tastes like, quantities mentioned are approx., proportions are left to the readers, to their taste. Purists will have to go to an Indian grocery shop. The most important thing is to keep the puffed rice-sev mixture crisp by not adding the other ingredients to it until just before serving".

2 cups mashed boiled potatoes (mashed crudely and then salted)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons freshly roasted and ground cumin
4 tablespoons tamarind (Tamcon concentrate is convenient to use)
1/2 cup jaggery or brown sugar
1 carton puffed rice (substitute with Rice Krispies cereal)
1 packet bhel mix or sev (semolina vermicelli)
1 or 2 green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped onions.

First boil the potatoes. Peel, Mash and salt them, add pepper to taste. Add the cilantro leaves.

Roast the cumin and grind it.

Dissolve the tamarind concentrate in 1 cup of hot water, and let it simmer to thicken gradually. Dissolve the jaggery (or sugar) until the sauce becomes tart and slightly sweet. (You may add some salt and ground red paprika, if you want to). The sauce should be of a consistency slightly thinner than maple syrup. Pour into a serving container (like a creamer).

Mix the puffed rice and sev/bhel mix in a large bowl. On your plate, serve the rice-bhel mixture, add the potatoes, then the onions, chilies, dust the cumin powder over it. Then pour the sauce and top off with the coriander garnish. (Add salt/pepper to taste).