Charmuri (Mangalore Bhel)

Summer has arrived and also the seasonal fruits and vegetables. My favorite mangoes are here. Every shopping trip I pick some raw mangoes. As you all know, mango is the key ingredient in Mumbai Bhel Puri and other chaat items. While I was in Mangalore, I came across another version of bhel - Mangalore style Charmuri. You won't need any pudina chutney or imli chutney here, just fresh tomatoes, cilantro and stuff..... a perfect low calorie snack.

Ingredients:
Puffed Rice/Mamra/Kurmure/Mandakki - 5 cups
Roasted Peanuts/Groundnuts/Kadle - 3 tbsp
Raw Mango - 1 small
Red Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Lemon/Lime - 1
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs
Oil preferably Coconut Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Shev
Salt

How to make Mangalore Charmuri:

• Finely chop onion, raw mango and cilantro leaves. Discard the soft pulp of the tomato and finely chop tomatoes too.
• In a big mixing bowl, add onions, tomatoes, mangoes, cilantro, lime juice, oil, chili powder, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Mix all the ingredients well.  Now add puffed rice and mix all well. Charmuri is ready to eat. Garnish with some shev and enjoy.

• Lime juice and oil both add moisture to this charmuri. In Mangalorean food, coconut oil is commonly used. If coconut oil is not available, olive oil is a good option. To reduce calories, I have used very less oil. You can add another tbsp or so. And to make it more nutritious, you can add grated carrots, finely chopped bell peppers/capsicum as well. No need to be precise about the ingredients here. Skip any ingredient you don't like and add more or less of any ingredient as per your taste.