Chinese Bhel

A delicious mix of fried noodles, crunchy vegetables and sweet and spicy sauces; Chinese Bhel is perfect to enjoy as a snack.

This Indo-Chinese appetizer is just like the restaurants or street vendors; yet super easy to put together in under 10 minutes.

Jump to:

• What is Indo-Chinese Cuisine
• About Chinese Bhel
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make the recipe
•  Expert Tips and Notes
• Serving and Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• More Indo-Chinese Recipes
• Chinese Bhel

Dinner is definitely the most awaited meal every day. When everyone gathers around the table for a meal together, the feeling is truly amazing. And summer dinners often tend to be quick, easy yet delicious.

We love meals that are almost or totally no-cook. Or something that has a couple of elements made ahead of time. These meals tend to be either Mexican, Indian or Asian. As Italian and certain Indian dishes do not taste good when made ahead of time or served cold.

Indo-Chinese is a divided cuisine. There are certain recipes that only taste great off the wok. And others that are also good cold. This cuisine thus makes for a great summer meal or evening snack.

What is Indo-Chinese Cuisine

Indo-Chinese is such a popular cuisine. With some base ingredients from East Asian cuisine and flavors of Indian food; this cuisine is super amazing. Loved in almost every corner of India, we now see it spread its wings the world over.

There are so many recipes in the cuisine; Hakka Noodles, Fried Rice, Manchurian to name a few. These are all amazing, tasty and full of spice.

Not only mains, there are plenty of appetizers in the cuisine too. From Thread Paneer, Vegetable stir-fry to Gobi Manchurian; we love them all.

About Chinese Bhel

Chinese bhel; heard that before? Yes this is a real dish but it is something that is nowhere found in China. And yet, it is easy to find it in almost every corner of India. Street vendors sell it, restaurants have it and this is a regular feature on many families' dinner or snack menu.

To start with, like other bhel recipes we have three elements; a base, vegetables and seasonings.

We start with a base of fried noodles. However, these Air Fried Noodles work well and no one can tell you have used that! Plus, we use shredded vegetables, Asian sauces and salt. This combination makes a sweet, spicy and super flavorful appetizer, snack or even a complete meal!

Why this recipe works

• Chinese Bhel is super easy to put together.
• It is Vegan friendly.
• Once we have the elements ready, we can literally assemble the bhel in 5 minutes.
• It has a perfect mix of sweet, salty and spicy elements.
• Super crunchy, this makes a great appetizer, snack or even a light meal.
• Very versatile in the ingredients, we can add the vegetables we have at hand and leave out the rest.
• Though the recipe cannot be prepared ahead of time, the elements can be.
• It is a rather colorful recipe that is easy to tone down in spice for kids.
• Once the noodles are made or bought; the recipe is a no-cook one.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chowmein: For the recipe we need fried chowmein. We can deep fry or air fry the noodles. Store bought fried noodles work well here too.
• Vegetables: Shredded or julienned vegetables are great to match the shape of the chowmein. I like to add carrots, cabbage, onion and peppers got the recipe. However, beetroots, green beans or even celery can be added to the bhel.
• Sauces: To flavor the recipe I like to add schezwan sauce, vinegar, chili sauce and soy sauce. While all brands work well, I like to use the Indian brand Ching's for these. Moreover, schezwan sauce can be made at home with this schezwan sauce recipe too.
• Salt: The only seasoning we need for the recipe is salt. Pepper powder can be added too, but with all the flavors of the sauces, we do not need any

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make the recipe

1- In a small bowl, add all the sauces.

2- Mix well and set aside. This mixture can be prepared and stored till is time to serve.

3- Chop the vegetables and set aside. When ready to eat, take the fried chow mein in a mixing bowl.

4- Then add shredded cabbage, carrots, onions and peppers.

5- Also add the sauce mixture. Season with salt if required.

6- Mix everything well and serve topped with cilantro and green onions. 

 Expert Tips and Notes

• Ensure all the vegetables are either shredded or chopped thin. We want it all to mix like a bhel.
• All the sauces we use have a lot of salt. So only add salt if required; after tasting.
• Chinese bhel is best enjoyed fresh after making. It tends to get soggy quickly.
• Add finely chopped green chili for more spice.
• To make ahead of time, prepare the sauce mix, fry the noodles and chop the vegetables. Simply assemble prior to serving.
• Add more vegetables or balance the sauces based on taste preference.

Serving and Storage

Chinese bhel is great to make and enjoy immediately. However, it can be prepped partially in advance.

Cho the vegetables, fry the noodles and mix the sauces ahead of time. Simply mix everything when ready to serve.

The leftovers get soggy quickly. So it is not a great recipe to have leftovers.

Recipe FAQs

More Indo-Chinese Recipes

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