Pani Puri
पानी पूरी
The undisputed king of Indian street food. Pani Puri — known as Golgappa in the north, Puchka in Bengal, and Phuchka in Odisha — is a single-bite explosion of flavour unlike anything else in world cuisine. A hollow, paper-thin, puffed semolina shell is cracked open with a thumb, stuffed with a filling of spiced mashed potato and cooked chickpeas, then dunked into aggressively tangy-spicy-sweet tamarind and mint water and eaten in one mouthful before it softens. The experience: the crunch of the shell, the creamy filling, and the electrifying pani (water) hitting your palate simultaneously is unlike any other food. Eaten standing at street stalls by royalty and rickshaw-pullers alike, Pani Puri is the great equaliser of Indian cuisine and the snack that makes every Indian abroad desperately homesick.
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Prep 30 min · Cook 20 min
Ingredients
Method
Make the pani (flavoured water): Blend together mint leaves, coriander, green chillies, tamarind paste, jaggery, roasted cumin powder, and black salt with 100 ml of the chilled water until completely smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a large bowl or jug. Add the remaining 600 ml chilled water and stir well. Taste — it should be intensely tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet. Adjust tamarind or jaggery to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
About 10 min
Tip: Make the pani at least 30 minutes ahead so the flavours meld in the fridge.
Prepare the filling: Coarsely mash the boiled potatoes in a bowl — leave some texture. Add the cooked chickpeas, finely chopped onion, fresh coriander, chaat masala, and a pinch of black salt. Mix well and taste for seasoning. The filling should be well-seasoned and slightly spicy. Divide into a small serving bowl ready at your assembly station.
About 10 min
Tip: You can also add a spoonful of sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney directly into the filling for extra flavour layers.
Assemble and eat immediately: Working one puri at a time, use your thumb to crack a small hole in the top of a puri (it must stay intact — do not crush it). Spoon in about 1 teaspoon of the potato-chickpea filling. Dunk the filled puri completely into the cold pani, then pop the entire thing into your mouth in one bite. Eat immediately — do not let it sit or it will go soggy.
About 2 min
Tip: The trick is eating the whole thing in one go. Pre-filled puris left sitting become soft very quickly.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 520 mg
Contains: gluten
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Recipe by Boon Tools.