Cornflakes bhel

Ingredients

2 cups breakfast cornflakes

1 medium tomato (deseeded), chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 boiled potato, peeled and cubed

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fine sev (deep fried gram flour noodles)

8 to 10 papdis

¼ cup spicy boondis

2 to 3 tablespoons plain salted/spicy/roasted peanuts (optional)

1 teaspoon chaat masala powder, or as required

Black salt as required

Coriander leaves/cilantro for garnishing

Pomegranate pearls for garnishing (optional)

For the chutney:

1 big bunch coriander leaves

3 to 4 green chillies/jalapenos

1 small lemon-sized tamarind or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste

4 to 6 cloves of garlic

3 to 4 tablespoons of grated jaggery or brown sugar

1 teaspoon jeera/cumin powder (optional)

1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional)

Tamarind-date chutney (optional)

Salt to taste

Instructions

First, roast the cornflakes in a kadai or saucepan for a few minutes to make them more crisp (optional). Allow to cool.

Blend all the chutney ingredients in a blender with a little water to a fine paste. Taste and adjust the salt and jaggery according to your taste. Some people prefer more sweet and some more savory; so add accordingly. Remove from the blender jar.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cornflakes, sev, boondis, about 8 papdis (broken into pieces) and few peanuts. Sprinkle the chaat masala and mix gently.

Stir in the onions, tomatoes, carrots and boiled potatoes along with a few tablespoons of chutney (use as much as needed). Mix gently, taste and add additional chutney (either green chutney or additional tamarind chutney) or chaat masala if needed.

Sprinkle with fine sev, pomegranate pearls and coriander leaves and serve immediately with a papdi (which can be used as a spoon)!!