Say hello to Chinese Bhel—a crunchy, tangy, spicy Indo-Chinese twist on the classic bhel. If you love bold flavours, this one’s going to be your new favourite!
If you’ve ever craved something crunchy, tangy, and a little spicy—Chinese Bhel is that snack. It’s one of those things you throw together quickly but everyone thinks you spent hours on. Crispy fried noodles, fresh veggies, and that punchy Indo-Chinese sauces… it’s a whole vibe in a bowl.
We usually make this for movie nights or when friends drop by unexpectedly. It’s fun to eat, super satisfying, and way easier than it looks. And those flavors are addictive 
Let’s find out how to make Chinese bhel, street style!
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Chinese Bhel Ingredients
You don’t need anything fancy to make this Chinese bhel recipe—most ingredients are pantry staples:
- Sauce Ingredients: Light soy sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, chilli flakes, sugar
- Stir-Fry Base: Oil, garlic, ginger garlic paste, red chilli paste, water, salt
- For the Bhel: Carrots, green/red/yellow capsicum, green beans, spring onion greens, crispy fried noodles
Frequently Asked Questions
Bombay Bhel uses puffed rice, sev, and chutneys. Chinese Bhel swaps these for fried noodles and a zesty Indo-Chinese sauce.
It’s not actual sev! Chinese bhel sev is just deep-fried hakka noodles that mimic the crisp texture of sev.
Absolutely. Make the sauce and prep the veggies ahead but store them separately. Just toss with noodles right before serving to keep the crunch.
Yes, just use gluten-free noodles and check your soy and chilli sauces for GF labels.
Air Fryer Crispy Noodles
For this recipe, I made my crispy noodles in the air fryer. It’s such a game-changer because this method uses way less oil making it healthier. Plus, air fryer crispy noodles have the same flavor and texture as traditional deep frying, but minus the mess! Check out the full Air Fryer Crispy Noodles recipe here!
Richa’s Top Tips
- Cool the sauce before adding it to noodles to prevent sogginess.
- Serve immediately for maximum crunch.
- Evenly chop your veggies for better texture and uniform mixing.
- Make your Chinese bhel healthier by frying the sev in the air fryer. You can find the steps for air fryer noodles in this recipe.
- If you like it spicy, feel free to throw in some schezwan sauce
- You can buy a ready-made fried noodles packet to save even more time.
Chinese Bhel Variations
- Add protein: Toss in some pan-fried tofu or air-fried paneer cubes.
- Extra crunch: Sprinkle some roasted peanuts or sesame seeds on top.
- Make it saucier: Double the sauce if you like your bhel with more coating.
- Add cabbage: Shredded cabbage adds more crunch and volume.
Serving Ideas
- Pair it with veg fried rice for that classic street-style combo. The crunchy noodles and tangy sauce go so well with the umami flavors of fried rice.
- Serve as a chaat-inspired snack alongside momos or veg spring rolls for a fun Indo-Chinese platter.
- Add it to your game night menu with honey chilli potatoes and crispy corn—trust me, it’ll disappear in minutes.
- Make it a part of your party appetizers spread with other crowd-pleasers like chilli paneer or veg manchurian.
Storage Tips
- Only store the sauce and veggies separately. Once mixed with noodles, this dish doesn’t hold up well.
- The sauce can be kept in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Fried noodles stay crispy for 7-10 days in a dry, airtight container.
This Indo-Chinese bhel is the snack you didn’t know you needed. It’s quick, vibrant, and totally satisfying. Once you try it, you’ll want to keep a stash of fried noodles ready at all times!
Want more quick snacks like this? Check out other Appetizers and Snacks recipes on my blog.
And if you make this Chinese Bhel, tag me on Instagram @my_foodstory—I’d love to see your creations!
Watch How To Make Chinese Bhel Recipe Video
Prevent your screen from going dark
Making sauce mix
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Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
½ teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 2 ½ tablespoons tomato ketchup, ½ tablespoon chilli sauce, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
For the stir fry
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Heat oil in a wok and add garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add ginger garlic paste and red chilli paste and cook for 3 – 5 minutes on low to medium heat while stirring occasionally. Cook until the raw red chilli smell goes. When the red chilli paste looks slightly toasted, increase the heat to high and add the sauce mix and stir to combine.
1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil, 6 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste, 1 ½ teaspoons red chilli paste
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Add water and cook till the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and transfer the sauce into a bowl. Allow the sauce to cool completely.
¼ cup water
Making bhel
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When ready to eat, add carrots, bell peppers, beans, spring onions, fried noodles and the cooled sauce to a large bowl and toss to combine. Toss the bhel only when you are ready to serve as the fried noodles will get soggy over time.
½ cup carrot, ¼ cup green capsicum, ¼ cup red capsicum, ¼ cup yellow capsicum, ½ cup green beans, ¼ cup spring onion, 2 cups fried noodles
Calories: 615kcal, Carbohydrates: 87g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Sodium: 2872mg, Potassium: 427mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 3404IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 5mg
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.
