Pani Puri (Crisp Shells with Spiced Tangy Water)
Local name: पानी पूरी
In short: Hollow crisp shells filled with spiced potato and chickpeas, then flooded with cold, tangy mint and tamarind water. India's most playful street snack. It takes about 1 h 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 195 kcal
Pani puri are hollow, crisp shells that you crack open, fill with spiced potato and chickpeas, then flood with cold, tangy mint water and eat in one bite. It is the most playful of India's street snacks, known as golgappa in Delhi and puchka in Kolkata. Making the shells takes some care, but the pani can be made a day ahead, and store-bought shells are a fair shortcut. Serve the parts separately so everyone fills their own.
Instructions
- Mix the semolina, flour, baking soda and salt. Add the warm water a little at a time and knead for 5 minutes into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- For the pani, blend the mint, coriander, chilies, ginger, tamarind, cumin, black salt, salt, chaat masala, lemon juice and 250 ml of the water until smooth. Strain into a jug, stir in the remaining 500 ml cold water and boondi, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Mix the potatoes, chickpeas, chaat masala, chili powder and salt for the filling.
- Roll the dough out very thin, about 1.5 mm, and cut 4 cm (1 1/2 in) rounds with a cutter. Keep the cut rounds under a damp cloth and re-roll the scraps once.
- Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry 6 puris at a time, pressing them gently with a slotted spoon at the start so they puff. Cook for about 1 minute per side until golden and crisp. Drain and cool completely, since they crisp further as they cool.
- To serve, tap a hole in the top of each puri with your thumb. Add 1 tsp of the filling and a drop of sweet chutney, fill with the cold pani and eat immediately in one bite.
Tips
- The dough must be stiff and rolled evenly thin. Thick or soft dough gives dense puris that do not puff. Ready-made puri shells are a good shortcut.
- Store cooled puris in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks and fill them only when eating, since they soften within a minute. The pani keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
Questions and answers
Why do my puris not puff up?
The dough may be too soft, rolled too thick or unevenly, or the oil is not hot enough. Roll thin and fry at 180°C (350°F).
Is pani puri the same as golgappa and puchka?
They are regional names for the same snack. Golgappa is the Delhi name and puchka the Kolkata name, where the water is usually sharper with tamarind.
How spicy is pani puri?
You control it. Use one green chili in the pani for a mild version, and add extra sweet chutney to the filling for children.
How long does it take to make Pani Puri (Crisp Shells with Spiced Tangy Water)?
About 1 h 30 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pani Puri (Crisp Shells with Spiced Tangy Water)?
About 195 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 5 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 195 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
