Bombay Bhel is a lively Indian street snack that the whole family will love - perfect for parties, picnics or as a fun snack any time; made with puffed rice, crunchy sev noodles, vegetables and tangy chutneys all mixed together, this wholesome version is toddler-friendly with no added salt or sugar, crunchy and exciting, great for introducing your child to different textures and can be adapted to use softer puffed rice for younger children, made without spicy chutney for milder taste, or kept very simple with just rice and vegetables for fussier eaters; follow this simple recipe for an authentic Mumbai street food that brings exciting flavours and textures to your family table while keeping everything safe and utterly delicious.
General Information
- Servings: 4
- Keywords: toddler friendly, no salt, no sugar, Bombay Bhel, puffed rice, family, quick
- Calories: ~340 kcal per serving (estimate)
- Protein: ~8 g per serving (estimate)
- Carbs: ~49 g per serving (estimate)
- Fats: ~9 g per serving (estimate)
- Preparation time: 20 minutes (active)
- Cooking time: 15 minutes (using pre-cooked chickpeas; longer if cooking dry chickpeas)
Hi, I’m Olivia - a web designer, mum of two boys (Sam is 7, Archie is 3), obsessed with cooking and quilt-making. My husband works FIFO so the boys and I do most of the kitchen stuff together. This is our gentle, toddler-friendly take on Bombay Bhel that keeps out added salt and sugar and avoids hard bits that can be a choking hazard. We make it soft and easy to chew, and the kids do the fun jobs like sprinkling puffed rice and mashing avocado.
Ingredients
- 120 g plain puffed rice (unsalted)
- 200 g potato (about 1 medium), peeled and cut into cubes
- 100 g cooked chickpeas (see note below for cooking or canned no-salt option)
- 100 g frozen peas (thawed) or fresh peas, cooked until soft
- 100 g cucumber, seeds removed, very finely diced
- 100 g tomato, seeds removed, very finely diced
- 80 g carrot, peeled and very finely grated
- 80 g apple, peeled, core removed, very finely grated
- 100 g ripe avocado (about 1 small), mashed until smooth
- 150 g plain full-fat yogurt (no added sugar, unsweetened)
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
- 10 g fresh coriander, very finely chopped
- 5 g fresh mint, very finely chopped (optional)
- 30 g unsalted sunflower seeds, lightly toasted and finely chopped or ground (for crunch; optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (optional, for mild warmth)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or mild vegetable oil (to toss potato or peas if needed)
Notes on ingredients and safety
- Do not use store-bought chutneys or sev, which are usually high in salt or sugar.
- If you need a nut-free version, use the sunflower seeds as the crunchy element. If you do use peanut butter as an alternative for extra protein, choose unsalted, smooth peanut butter and mix into the yogurt so no whole nut pieces remain.
- For toddlers under 4, avoid whole nuts and whole seeds. Here we suggest finely chopped or ground seeds to reduce choking risk.
- Pieces should be soft and small. Recommended maximum size for dices is about 1 cm, and softer textures like mashed potato and avocado are encouraged.
Directions
Notes before you start
- Work on a clean bench. Keep a damp tea towel nearby to wipe sticky fingers. Supervise children at all times. Give the 7-year-old simple, safe tasks like mixing; give the 3-year-old stirring, sprinkling, or mashing in a bowl while you hold the bowl steady.
- If you are new to cooking, read each step first, then do it. I promise you will end up with something delicious that the kids will pick at between bites of sandwich and toy trains.
- Prep the chickpeas (choose one)
- Easiest: Use canned no-salt-added chickpeas. Drain and rinse well under cold water for 30 seconds. Then gently mash half of them with a fork in a bowl so there are no big hard pieces.
- From dry chickpeas: Soak 150 g dried chickpeas in plenty of water overnight. Drain, put in a pot with fresh water, bring to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes until very soft. Or cook in a pressure cooker for 20-25 minutes. No salt in the cooking water. Let cool, then mash half and leave half whole but very soft. A soft chickpea should squish easily between your fingers.
- Cook the potato and peas
- Put potato cubes in a pot, cover with cold water by about 2 cm, bring to the boil, then simmer 10-12 minutes until a fork pierces easily. Drain and mash with a fork while still warm. Add 1 tablespoon oil to keep it creamy if you like.
- If using frozen peas, put them in a small pot with a splash of water and heat gently for 3-4 minutes until soft, then drain. If fresh, steam or boil until soft. Mash slightly so the peas break down a bit.
- Prepare the soft fruit and veg (do this while the potato is cooking)
- Tomato and cucumber: Cut each tomato and cucumber in half lengthways. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and watery bits from each half. Then finely dice the flesh into pieces no larger than 1 cm. For the 3-year-old, even smaller is better. If you are nervous about chopping, show the 7-year-old how to rock a kid-safe knife under supervision, or let them use a plastic knife on the cucumber.
- Carrot and apple: Use a fine grater to grate the carrot and apple. Remove the apple core first. Grating makes them soft and easy for little mouths.
- Avocado: Cut in half, remove stone, scoop flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. If avocado is not ripe, mash it with a little yogurt to soften.
- Mix the creamy dressing
- In a small bowl, stir together 150 g plain yogurt, 15 ml lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin if using, and the finely chopped mint and coriander. Taste a little on the back of your hand to check acidity. No salt or sugar added.
- Combine the soft ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl combine:
- mashed potato
- mashed chickpeas and whole soft chickpeas
- mashed avocado
- grated carrot and apple
- cooked peas
- diced cucumber and tomato
- Gently fold the yogurt dressing through the mixture so everything is nicely coated. The texture should be soft, moist and not crumbly. If it feels dry, add a little more yogurt.
- Add puffed rice and seeds for crunch (the kids will love this bit)
- Right before serving, stir in the puffed rice 120 g and the finely chopped toasted sunflower seeds 30 g. Puffed rice will get soft if it sits for too long, so only mix it in when you are ready to eat.
- If your 7-year-old wants to help, give them a small cup of puffed rice to sprinkle in while you mix. The 3-year-old loves to press the lid onto the measuring cup, supervised, of course.
- Check texture and serving size for toddlers
- Spoon some onto a small plate. For the 3-year-old, make sure there are no hard bits. If any chunk feels firm, mash it a little more with the back of a spoon.
- Serve in small portions, about 100-150 g per toddler plate. Sit with your child while they eat.
Extra safety tips
- Avoid whole seeds and whole nuts for the 3-year-old. If you use nuts on older kids or adults, keep them separate.
- Keep hot pots away from the edge of the bench. I put the boys on the floor with a bowl and let them do the gentle mixing when pots are hot.
- If using lemon, add gradually; kids can be sensitive to acidity.
Storage
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Puffed rice will soften overnight, so if you plan to keep it, store puffed rice separately and mix in when serving.
Recommended Sides
- Soft chapati pieces, torn into small strips for dipping
- Steamed sweet potato sticks, cool and soft
- Sliced banana or very soft pear pieces, thinly sliced
- Plain yogurt in a small bowl for extra dipping
Jokes
- Why did the puffed rice get invited to dinner? Because it always brings the crunch, even when it sits quietly on the couch.
- Archie told me this was like “party rice.” Sam said, “No, it is a calm party.” I call that parenting.
- What did the potato say to the avocado? “You complete my mash.”
If you want, I can give you a shopping list you can print for the school run, or a version that keeps more crunch for older kids and adults.
Shop Ingredients
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- cooked chickpeas
- cucumber, seeds removed
- frozen peas or
- plain puffed rice
- potato and into
- tomato, seeds removed
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