Pani Puri, also known as Golgappa or Puchka, is a popular Indian street food. It is made up of crispy hollow puri shells filled with a mixture of sweet & spicy water along with mashed potatoes.
The crispy puris along with earthy potatoes, sweet tamarind chutney and flavorful spicy water made with fresh mint and cilantro, give a burst of flavors and textures in the mouth.
A popular street food
Pani Puri is one of the most famous snacks that is greatly enjoyed in many different forms all throughout the country. It is enjoyed by people of all ages and is especially popular among kids and women.
India experiences hot climates during most of the year and pani puri is often enjoyed as a refreshing and spicy treat on hot summer days and in such cases the savory water filled is made cool by adding ice or cold water. However due to its tangy and sumptuous taste pani puri is consumed all around the year.
Different types of pani puri shells
There are many variations of pani puri shells made from different types of flours. Each type of flour adds its unique flavor, texture, and nutritional value to the shells, so you can choose the one that suits your preference :
- Sooji (semolina) – made with just semolina or mixed with a little bit of maida (plain flour), the semolina helps adds a crispy and crunchy texture to the shells.
- Whole wheat flour – this has a nutty flavor and gives a slightly denser texture to the shells.
- Multigrain flour – for the health conscious, ready made or homemade multigrain flour made of a combination of different grains like wheat, corn, and millet, can be used to make pani puri shells.
- Rice flour – a gluten-free option, which gives a light and crispy texture to the shells.
Filling for pani puri
Pani puri is enjoyed all over India, with different regions having their own variations of filling and flavored water.
Boiled and mashed potatoes flavored with salt, red chilli, cumin powder etc. is the most common filling for pani puri. They can also be mixed with onions, boiled black chickpeas or moong dal sprouts for additional texture and nutrition. In many regions pani puri is also filled with a white peas curry.
What is pani puri water made of?
The water for the pani puri also varies by region. The most common variety being a fresh spicy water made with mint, cilantro, ginger, green chillies and various spices. In addition, lemon juice, tamarind paste is added for tanginess.
There is generally a sweet tamarind chutney that is added to the puri, but some people also just mix the tamarind chutney with water to make a sweet and spicy water. Apart from this, the water can also be made from various fruits, like mango, pomegranate etc.
A great shortcut to making pani puri water, is to take a readymade fruit juice such as guava juice or mango juice and add some spices like chaat masala, cumin powder, salt, red chilli etc. to have instant delicious water.
Some handy tips for making pani puri
Below I have listed down a few things to keep in mind while preparing this recipe to make it more enjoyable:
- Use fresh ingredients for making flavorful pani puri water. There are many readymade spice powders available in the market for making the water, but they come nowhere close to flavorfulness of the water made using fresh mint and cilantro.
- For making crispy puris, make sure the dough to make puris is stiff and not too soft.
- Roll out this dough into thin even circles.
- When deep frying the puris, drop them in hot oil initially, so they don’t absorb too much oil. Then lower the heat slightly and fry them in medium hot oil till they are golden brown and crispy.
How to enjoy panipuri?
Apart from its scrumptious taste, eating pani puri while standing on a street side stall is an experience in and of itself, which adds to the fun appeal of this snack. However, you can easily enjoy this snack from the comfort of your home.
To enjoy pani puri, you must first take a pani puri shell and make a small hole in it. Then fill it with the filling of mashed potato and other ingredients of your choice. Drizzle a bit of sweet tamarind chutney inside and finally dip it into the spicy and tangy flavored water.
The entire pani puri is then popped/gulped into the mouth in one bite, resulting in a fast burst of flavors and textures.
Serving Suggestions
Pani puri should be assembled right before eating otherwise it will get soggy. To serve this snack, place all the different ingredients like the potatoes, chickpeas, onions, sweet chutney, spicy water, puris etc. separately. Then assemble the shells right before serving and eat immediately.
The water for the this is best served chilled.You can refrigerate it or add some ice to the water before serving. For parties, you can make the pani puri eating experience even more enjoyable by using a variety of flavored water options such as mint, coriander, tamarind, or pomegranate, and allow guests to experiment with different flavors.
To make pani puri at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below.
See more related recipes like:
Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka
Recipe Info
Equipment
Ingredients For Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka
For the puris
- 1.5 Cups Sooji (Rava / Semolina)
- 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
- 1/3 Cup Water
- Oil for Frying
For the spicy water
- 1 Cup Mint Leaves (Pudina)
- 2 Cups Coriander Leaves (Cilantro or Dhaniya)
- 1 Inch Piece of Ginger
- 1 Green Chilli
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder)
- 2 Tablespoons Chaat Masala
- 1 Tablespoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
- 1 Teaspoon Rock Salt (Kala Namak)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Ice Cubes
- 6 Cups Water
- 2 Tablespoons Plain Salted Boondi
For the sweet chutney
- 5 Tablespoons Tamarind Paste
- 1 Cup Water
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 Teaspoon Jaljeera Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder (Kali Mirch)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Ginger Powder (Saunth)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
For the potato stuffing
- 2 Potatoes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chaat Masala
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Rock Salt (Kala Namak)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Step By Step Instructions for Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka
Making the puris
- Take semolina in a wide mixing bowl, and a pinch of salt as per taste.1.5 Cups Sooji (Rava / Semolina), 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
- Add some oil to the bowl with semolina.3 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
- Mix the oil with the semolina and rub to coat it completely.
- Add some water to the mixture and start to knead.1/3 Cup Water
- Keep kneading until all the water is absorbed and you get a stiff dough.
- Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth or paper towel and let the dough rest for 30 mins.
- Then divide the dough into 4 parts and roll each part into a ball.
- Brush a little bit of oil on a flat surface or board and roll the ball into a thin disc.
- Use a small circular cutter to cut round discs from the flattened flour.
- Make all the discs for the puris this way and keep them aside. Make sure to keep the dough and prepared discs covered with a wet cloth to prevent drying them out.
- Another way to prepare the puris is to make small individual circles.
- You can then flatten each of them with a rolling pin into a circular or oblong shape.
- Heat oil in a kadhi or fryer and add the puris in hot oil.
- As the pooris puff, turn them and cook them on medium hot heat.
- Lower the heat and fry the puris till they are golden brown from both sides.
- Prepare all the puris this way and place them on an absorbent paper.
Making the spicy water
- Add some mint leaves to a blender or mixer grinder.1 Cup Mint Leaves (Pudina)
- Also add some coriander leaves. You don't need to remove the stems from the coriander.2 Cups Coriander Leaves (Cilantro or Dhaniya)
- Then add a piece of ginger and some green chillies to the blender, along with some lemon juice.1 Inch Piece of Ginger, 1 Green Chilli, 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Also add roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, amchur, red chilli powder, heeng, black salt and salt as per taste.2 Tablespoons Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder), 2 Tablespoons Chaat Masala, 1 Tablespoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder), 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/4 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida), 1 Teaspoon Rock Salt (Kala Namak), 1 Teaspoon Salt
- Then add some ice cubes along with some water to the mix.1/2 Cup Ice Cubes
- Grind the ingredients to a smooth mixture, add more water if needed to blend it.
- Strain the mixture to remove the pulp from the water.
- Add the remaining water and mix well. Taste and adjust the salt and spices as needed. Add some boondi on the top optionally.6 Cups Water, 2 Tablespoons Plain Salted Boondi
Making the sweet chutney
- Mix tamarind pulp with water in a saucepan.5 Tablespoons Tamarind Paste, 1 Cup Water
- Add sugar to the saucepan.3/4 Cup Sugar
- Then add roasted cumin powder, salt, jaljeera powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, saunth powder and amchur.1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder), 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 3/4 Teaspoon Jaljeera Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder (Kali Mirch), 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Ginger Powder (Saunth), 1/2 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
- Mix all the spices and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn off the heat and let the chutney cool down to room temperature before using.
Making the potato stuffing
- Boil, peel and mash some potatoes in a mixing bowl.2 Potatoes
- Add roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chilli powder, black salt and salt.1/2 Teaspoon Chaat Masala, 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Rock Salt (Kala Namak), 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder)
- Mix the spices well with the mashed potatoes.
Assembling the pani puri
- To eat the pani puri, gently make a small hole with your thumb or the sharp end of a spoon.
- Fill some potato stuffing in the puri. You can also add onions, boiled black chickpeas or sprouts to the filling.
- Pour some sweet tamarind chutney into the poori.
- Fill the poori with the spicy water and eat immediately.
- Pani Puri is ready. Serve all the components separately and assemble them one by one, on the spot when you are ready to eat.
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