Pani Puri – Make it in 4 super tasty ways!

11th July 2018
Pani Puri
Pani Puri

Pani Puri – A famous street food

Pani puri, also known as golgappa or puchka, is a popular Indian street food that originated in the northern region of India. It is a round, hollow, crispy shell filled with a spicy and tangy mixture of mashed potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind chutney, and a flavorful water made with mint, coriander, and spices.

The snack is typically served in a plate or a paper cone, and the idea is to quickly pop the entire puri into your mouth in one go. The crispy shell then bursts open, releasing the delicious filling and the flavorful water, creating a burst of flavors and textures in your mouth.

Pani puri is loved by people of all ages in India, and there are many regional variations of this beloved snack. In some parts of the country, the filling is made with sweet tamarind chutney instead of the spicy potato mixture, while in other regions, the water is made with different spices to give it a unique flavor.

Pani puri is not just a tasty snack, but it’s also a great way to experience the local culture and connect with the local community. You can find street vendors selling pani puri in almost every nook and cranny of Indian cities, and the sound of the puris being popped and the laughter of the customers around the vendor is a familiar sound to anyone who has ever visited India.

In conclusion, pani puri is a beloved and iconic Indian street food that is enjoyed by millions of people across the country. Its unique combination of flavors, textures, and spices makes it a must-try snack for anyone visiting India, and a favorite for those who call India home.

Nowadays, people are even inventing different flavors and serving the traditional Pani Puri with various fillings. Fusion is an “in-thing” with this popular snack these days.

Going with the trend, I thought of trying to make this yummy snack in four ways:

  1. Pudina (Mint) Pani with Ragda
  2. Orange Pani with fruits
  3. Garlic Pudina Pani with Onions
  4. Imli (Tamarind) pani with Potato

I have, of course, used Puris, which are easily available in the market these days, to fill the mixtures and have served the flavored water in shot glasses.

Flavored Water

I have given a Hing (Asafoetida) smoke flavor to all the different flavor waters. This is optional but if you would like to do this, follow these steps:

  1. You need to burn a piece of coal on the gas stove.
  2. When it is red hot, remove it in a small bowl, sprinkle a large pinch of Hing and one Tsp Ghee/Oil.
  3. As soon as the smoke arises, cover the bowl with the container in which you intend to add the flavored water. 

Tip: You could make the flavored water in a different container and transfer it to the smoked container later.

Here are the recipes of the four different flavored pani (water) I have made:

Pudina Pani (Mint flavored water) with Ragda (Yellow Peas):

Ragda

Ragda

Ingredients:

  1. 50 gms Yellow Peas
  2. Salt as per taste
  3. 1 Tsp Oil
  4. Finely chopped green chillies
  5. 1 tsp Jeera/Cumin

Procedure

  1. Take the yellow peas and cook them in the cooker for 3-4 whistles.
  2. Mash it after it cools down.
  3. Add Salt and give a tadka with finely chopped green chillies and jeera.

Pudina Pani

Ingredients

  1. 5-6 Tbsp Pudina Chutney 
  2. 1 glass chilled water.

 

Procedure

  1. Take the pudina chutney in a bowl and add chilled water to it.
  2. Mix well.

Serving

  1. Make a hole in the puri
  2. Add one Tbsp Ragda to it.
  3. Fill the puri with chilled Pudina Pani and enjoy!

Orange Pani (Orange fruit flavored water) with fruits:

Ingredients:

  1. 1 Glass Minute Maid pulpy Orange drink (You could use any other orange flavour drink/juice)
  2. 1/2 glass water
  3. Salt as per taste
  4. 1 Tsp Roasted Jeera
  5. Assorted chopped fruits.

 

Procedure

  1. Mix one glass Minute Maid pulpy Orange drink with 1/2 glass water
  2. Add salt and roasted jeera
  3. Mix well.

Tip: In this recipe, you can add any of your favorite chopped fruits. To enhance the flavor, you can add some roasted jeera and salt to the fruits.

Serving

  1. Make a hole in the pani puri
  2. Add one Tbsp fruit to it
  3. Fill the puri with tangy orange water and enjoy!

Garlic Pudina Pani (Garlic andMint flavored water) with Onions:

Ingredients:

  1. 4-5 Tbsp Pudina Chutney
  2. 1 glass chilled water
  3. 3-4 garlic cloves (Roughly ground)
  4. Salt as per taste
  5. 1 Onion (finely chopped)

 

Procedure

  1. Mix the roughly ground garlic with pudina chutney
  2. Add salt and mix well
  3. Add one glass chilled water to this mixture

Serving

  1. Make a hole in the pani puri
  2. Add 1Tsp chopped onion
  3. Fill the puri with spicy garlic water and enjoy!

Imli Pani (Tamarind flavored water) with Potato:

Ingredients:

For Imli Chutney:

  1. 1 Cup Tamarind
  2. 1 Cup Jaggery/Sugar
  3. 2 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
  4. 1 Tbsp Roasted and ground Jeera (Cumin) powder
  5. Water
  6. Salt to taste.

Procedure:

  1. Soak the tamarind in water for 4-5 hours.
  2. Mash over a seive and remove the pulp.
  3. Add Jaggery/Sugar, Red chilli powder, Jeera and salt and mix well.
  4. Keep aside for an hour to let the jaggery/sugar dissolve. Mix well.
  5. The chutney is ready to use.

Note: You can preserve this chutney in an air-tight container for 10-15 days in the fridge.

Imli Pani and Potato filling:

Ingredients:

  1. 4-5 Tbsp Imli Chutney
  2. 1 glass chilled water
  3. 2 medium sized potatoes (boiled and cooled)
  4. 1 Tbsp Red chilli powder
  5. 1 chopped green chilli (Optional)
  6. 2 Tbsp chopped Coriander
  7. Salt to taste.

Procedure:

For the pani

  1. Take the prepared Imli chutney in a bowl.
  2. Add one glass chilled water and mix well

For the Potato filling

  1. Peel and mash two boiled potatoes.
  2. Add Red chilli powder, chopped green chilli (Optional), chopped Coriander and Salt and mix well.

 

Serving

  1. Make a hole in the pani puri
  2. Add 1 Tbsp Potato mixture to it.
  3. Fill the puri with tangy Imli ka Pani and enjoy!

Note: You could also try mixing the different flavors or try each flavor with a different filling.

Liked this yummy street food recipe? You may like this too: Bread Pakoda

Did you make any of this amazing Pani Puri recipes? Share it on Instagram and tag @flavorsfromindia and hashtag it #anuyasrecipes

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