WHEN a friend, originally from India, invited me to a “street food” party in Simi Valley, I expected a sort of outdoor fair where I would wander among food booths. Instead, I found a fun

party in someone’s home where a young caterer, Raunaq Savur, had prepared a buffet of Bombay street snacks.

Savur was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), a city famous for the delicious treats offered by street vendors. Street food is everywhere there, from the beaches to the heart of the city. Popular

street fare such as bhel puri, a cross between a salad and a crunchy chips mix, and pav bhaji, spiced mashed vegetables served with soft rolls, have spread to other parts of India. And in

choose, arranging their own plates, adding on chutneys and garnishes to taste. Beer’s a good accompaniment, as are summer cocktails such as gin and tonic. For nonalcoholic drinks, try nimbu

pani (an Indian limeade: fresh squeezed lime juice with simple syrup and water) or nimbu soda (lime juice, simple syrup and sparkling water).

Plan for a menu of three dishes, along with three or more chutneys. You’ll need to take a list to one of L.A.’s many Indian markets, but once you have the ingredients assembled, the recipes

are not complicated. Some have several steps, many of which can be done in advance. The chutneys can be made days ahead of time, as can other elements such as rotis (flatbread) and meat

filling.

As a main dish, try Neela Paniz’s frankie, which is tender flatbread wrapped around spicy, stewed lamb. Paniz, who was born in Bombay, created it for her Bombay Cafe in West Los Angeles.

It’s been a great hit there, and much copied by other Indian restaurants.

According to Paniz, the frankie appeared in Bombay in the mid ‘70s as a variation on a Calcutta snack of grilled meat wrapped in a flatbread similar to nan. The Bombay version uses curried

meat. “I believe they named it a ‘frankie’ as a takeoff on a frankfurter,” she says. The ends of the wrapper are left open, like a rolled soft taco. Serve them whole or cut into halves or

thirds for finger food.

Along with the frankies, offer a bowl of bhel puri, a terrific side dish that’s not quite a vegetable salad, not quite a crunch snack mix. Savur’s shortcut version combines a ready-made

Indian snack mix that contains crisp tidbits such as puffed rice and tiny fried puris (a puffy flat bread) with peanuts, sev (fine chickpea noodles), onion, tomatoes, diced potato and sweet

and spicy chutneys.

“I think that the best way to enjoy bhel is to have all the ingredients prepped beforehand and laid out on the table separately, very much like a taco bar,” says Savur. In addition to the

chutneys and diced vegetables called for in the recipe, you could experiment with accompaniments including chopped cilantro, fresh chiles and lemon wedges, yogurt raita and cut-up fresh

fruit.

I first tasted -- and loved -- pav bhaji at Bombay Bite in Westwood. Chef Preet Kamble’s recipe combines pav (bread) and bhaji (vegetables), in this case including potatoes, carrots,

cauliflower, green peppers, peas and tomatoes. The vegetables are cooked into a deliciously spiced soft paste. The rolls, cut in half, simmer in butter and the pan juices until impregnated

with rich flavor. The idea is to spread the paste on the hot rolls, like an open-faced sandwich.

“Pav bhaji is the top thing on the street in Bombay,” says Kamble, who was born there. “It has become a big fad. All the major restaurants and hotels have put it on the menu, but that in the

street is tastiest.”

Toasted rolls traditionally go with pav bhaji, but as a party dip it’s great with chips, wedges of pita bread or Indian breads from a market or restaurant.

Like any small-plates party, a Bombay street-food spread is all about planning. Prepare some elements in advance, make some chutneys and purchase others, mix in a few discoveries from the

Indian market and soon you’ll have a festive buffet -- something like that outdoor food fair I imagined, after all.

Note: From “The Bombay Cafe” by Neela Paniz. Dalia, or channa, are small, split chickpeas, available in Indian markets.

Combine the chiles, cilantro, mint, dalia, lemon juice and salt in a blender and puree, adding the water as needed. Scrape the sides of the blender down several times with a spatula. Adjust

seasoning to taste.

Each tablespoon: 10 calories; 1 gram protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 215 mg. sodium.

Note: From Raunaq Savur of Rasa Catering. Sev, fine, crisp chickpea flour noodles, and Khatta Meetha, an Indian version of Chex Mix, are available at Indian markets. Serve with red chili

chutney, green chutney and date and tamarind chutney. The chutney can be made in advance. This is a spicy dish. To reduce the heat, use one-half jalapeno or reduce the amount of chutneys

added.

Combine the lemon juice, water, garlic, chili powder, paprika and sev in a blender and blend until all ingredients are incorporated. Makes two-thirds cup.

1. Mix the peanuts, sev and Khatta Meetha in a baking pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.

2. Place the baked mixture in a large serving bowl. Add the one-half cup onions, one-half cup tomatoes, three-fourths cup potatoes, the jalapeno, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons date and

tamarind chutney, 3 tablespoons green chutney and 2 tablespoons red chili chutney.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well and serve immediately. Place the remaining onions, tomatoes and potatoes in small bowls and set out with additional amounts of the chutneys

for guests to add as desired.

Each of 6 servings: 343 calories; 12 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams fiber; 23 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 491 mg. sodium.

Note: From Preet Kamble of Bombay Bite. Cumin seeds, pav bhaji masala (spice mix), ginger-garlic paste and Indian red chili powder are available in Indian markets and in the Indian food

sections of selected grocery stores.

1. Combine the potatoes, carrot, cauliflower, bell pepper and peas in a large (3 1/2 --quart) saucepan. Add 2 3/4 cups water and one-half teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cook on medium-high

heat until very tender, about 30 minutes. Do not drain. Use a potato masher to mash the vegetables and the liquid together to make a fine paste. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they sputter, about 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups diced onions and fry until translucent.

3. Add the pav bhaji masala, ginger-garlic paste, salt to taste and the chili powder. Stir to combine. Add the tomatoes; stir and cook 4 minutes. Add the mashed vegetable paste to the

onion-tomato mixture and mix well. Cook 5 minutes.

5. Remove the vegetables from the pan, spooning into a serving bowl and leaving about a tablespoon of the mixture in the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and stir to

incorporate as it melts. Place the rolls cut side down in the pan and cook in the butter-vegetable mixture until lightly toasted.

6. To serve, garnish the mashed vegetables with cilantro leaves. Serve with the toasted rolls, chopped onions, whole serrano chiles and lemon wedges.

Each serving: 209 calories; 5 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 9 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 160 mg. sodium.

Note: The rotis can be made in advance and frozen, uncooked (no need to thaw before cooking). The lamb masala can be made in advance. The lime-cilantro onions should be made about 1 hour

before serving. Serve with green chutney and tamarind and date chutney.

1. Sift 2 cups of the flour, the sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and add the yogurt. Mix with your fingers while adding the milk, one-fourth cup at a time.

Use only enough milk to form a soft, pliable dough. Dust with a little of the remaining flour and set aside, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Dredge in flour and flatten into disks 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Roll out into thin 8-inch rounds, using flour as

needed to keep them from sticking.

3. If freezing or refrigerating, layer between pieces of wax paper or parchment and seal tightly in plastic, then in aluminum foil.

1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb leg meat, cut into 1-inch cubes, fat and silver skin trimmed if necessary

1. Puree the garlic and half of the ginger in a blender using a little water as needed, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Set aside in a bowl. Slice the rest of the ginger into thin matchsticks and set

aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and saute until they turn dark gold, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir frequently so the onions do not burn at the edges. Reduce

the heat to medium if the onions start to burn.

3. Add the garlic-ginger puree and the lamb and continue to brown until the meat juices have almost dried up, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric and mix

well. Mix in the sliced tomatoes, chiles, reserved ginger and salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

One hour before serving, combine the onion, cilantro, salt and lime juice to taste in a bowl and toss together. Cover with plastic and set aside.

1. Heat a large griddle or heavy skillet over high heat. Place a roti on it and turn after about 30 seconds. Brush lightly with oil and turn again. Oil the second side. Pour about 1 1/2

tablespoons of the beaten eggs onto the roti and spread to cover surface. When the egg starts to firm, flip the roti to cook the egg into a light omelet-like coating on that side, about 30

seconds.

2. Remove the roti to a plate, egg side down. Place 3 to 4 tablespoons of warm lamb masala in the center lengthwise. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of lime-cilantro onions, 1 teaspoon of green

chutney and 1 tablespoon of tamarind and date chutney. Fold the bottom end of the roti over about 1 1/2 inches and roll like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining rotis. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 532 calories; 26 grams protein; 52 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 25 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 140 mg. cholesterol; 1042 mg. sodium.

Note: From “The Bombay Cafe” by Neela Paniz. Tamarind pulp can be found in Indian and Latino markets. Asafetida, black salt and jaggery (solid sugar) are available in Indian markets.

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of the dates

1. Place the tamarind pulp in a bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups of boiling water over the top, cover and allow it to soak overnight. Place the dates in another bowl, pour the remaining one-half cup of

boiling water over the dates, cover and allow them to stand overnight.

2. Knead the tamarind with your fingers to break up the lumps. Pour the pulp and soaking liquid into a fine strainer set over a nonreactive saucepan. Scrape a wooden spoon over the pulp to

force through to the saucepan. Scoop out the pulp remaining in the strainer, return it to the bowl and add about one-fourth cup of hot water. Knead again, then pour the pulp and soaking

liquid into the strainer and press the pulp with the wooden spoon. Discard pulp remaining in strainer. Follow the same procedure with the dates.

3. Add the cumin, asafetida, black and cayenne peppers, black and regular salt, sugar and jaggery. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the jaggery melts, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust for sweetness.

Each tablespoon: 40 calories; 0 protein; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 146 mg. sodium.