Jhalmuri (Spicy Puffed Rice)

What I love most about Bengali home cooking is that most recipes seem to come together by accident. Take jhalmuri for instance: who could ever think it was the result of a professionally trained chef who thought throwing onions and spices into a cone of puffed rice would become a kerbside delight in Bengali communities everywhere? Surely it's not as simple as spice and puffed rice as its name suggests? Here's the lowdown on the easiest chaat snack this side of Cox's Bazaar. All these ingredients are readily available at a Bengali/Indian grocery store.

Servings: 3-4 portions
Prep+cooking time: less than 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups muri (puffed rice)
• 1 cup sev
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas (pre-boiled and peeled)
• 1/2 cup pomegranate, washed
• 1/4 cup fine sev (bengal gram vermicelli)
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 2-3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp mint sauce
• 1/2 cup coriander, finely chopped 
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

1) Chop all the vegetable ingredients into thin slices and mix in with a bowl of chickpeas and peanuts.

2) In a small bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. 

3) Layer the vegetables, muri and tamarind chutney. Garnish with coriander and pomegrates. Serve and immediately!