This pani puri recipe is a favorite of my family. It also has other names such as, golgappa in North India and poochakas in west bengal and gup chup in Orisa. It is also spelt as pani poori.

The literal meaning of Pani puri is 'water in fried bread'. The pani(water) is spicy, digestive liquid which can be made in advance and kept and used for a few days.

Pani puri is a indian chaat item. Just a mention of pani puri is enough to make one's mouth water in anticipation. It is such a lip smacking dish. Though it is a street food similar to masala puri, dahi puri etc, making it at home is easy and more hygienic too.

Pani puri is an item where you make the preparation earlier and just assemble the dish just before serving. So it is a very convenient dish for anytime or every time. It is a popular item for kid's parties as well as any other parties.

The items used to make pani puri recipe are:

1. Puri
2. lentil / potato for stuffing
3. pani
4. chopped onions and coriander leaves.
5. Sweet chutney.

All these items should be ready before you start assembling the dish.

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1. Semolina puri:

The semolina puris used for pani puri are small about 1 ½ inch diameter. They are crisp, a little hard, compared to the other pooris made for snack or breakfast. You can make these small pooris at home or buy them ready made. They are available in packets of 50 or 100. As they are not very expensive, it is convenient to buy them.

Generally in restaurants, 5-6 puris are served per plate. You will need more, about 8-10 puris per person. Keep that in mind when you buy them or make them at home.

If you want to make them at home, here is how you make them.

Ingredients to make puri at home

Rava (Sooji-semolina) - 1 cup

maida (plain flour - 1/2 cup

baking powder - ½ tsp or a pinch of baking soda.

oil to deep fry,

salt ¼ tsp.

Method to make crisp puris:

1. Mix sooji, maida, baking powder or baking soda, salt and enough water to knead a dough.
2. Cover with wet cloth and leave aside for about 30 minutes.
3. Make small sized balls. The puris are to be eaten whole. So keep that in mind while deciding poori size.
4. Roll into thin rounds using a little dry flour if necessary.
5. Heat oil in a pan and place each round in the hot oil.
6. Press it with a slotted spoon so that it puffs up.
7. Fry each puri till it is crisp. Do not let it become dark brown. It should be just very light brown.
8. Drain on a paper towel for some time.

Cool completely. Store in an airtight container when cool.These puris will keep for 3-4 weeks or even longer.

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2.The stuffing for panipuri:

For stuffing panipuris generally lentils or potatoes are used. The lentils used are chana dal(chickpeas, green beans(mung beans), green peas.

Boiled Potatoes are also used by themselves or are mixed with the lentils. Fried boondi is also used sometimes as a stuffing. You may try different stuffings.

Make stuffing for pani puri:

Ingredients to make stuffing:

You will need 1 cup lentils for 2-3 persons.

Soak lentils for about 6 hours.

Boil in water till done. Add salt and a little turmeric powder while it cooks.

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3. Pani - The most important of pani puri Recipe

Pani literally means water. But here we use spicy water to dip or fill our tiny pooris. Pani is the most important item in the pani pori setup. Because the final taste of your panipuri will depend on the pani. If your pani is right, you have got it.

This pani is a very good digestive as it contains a combination of herbs and spices that help digestion. Apart from serving it with panipuri, It is also good to serve as a digestive drink. You can dilute it by adding a little water.

You may have come across other pani puri recipe s. You may notice that my pani puri recipe has more ingredients. Just make it once using my pani recipe and you will find the difference in taste. And you will want to use this recipe all the time.

Ingredients For making pani:

coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

black pepper seeds - ¼ tsp

ajwain - ¼ tsp

ginger - ½ inch piece

green chili - 1 no.

fresh mint leaves - 1 cup

coriander leaves - ½ cup

tamarind - lime sized ball

water - 2 liters

rock salt - ½ tsp

black salt

red chili powder - ½ tsp or to taste

jaggery (gur) - 1 tsp or to taste.

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for 10-15 minutes and get pulp by using more water.
2. Roast coriander, cumin, black pepper seeds lightly.
3. Add ajwain and Grind to fine powder.
4. Add chili, coriander and mint leaves, ginger and grind to a fine paste using a little water.
5. Add this paste, tamarind pulp, rock salt, jaggery to 2 liters water.
6. Boil for 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
7. Strain through a plastic mesh or Pour out the top liquid.
8. The residue can be used to add to bhel puri, dahi puri, sev puri or for making potato curry.

Pani is ready to use. You may chill it in the fridge or use it at room temperature, as you like.

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4.Ingredients to Make sweet chutney:

Dates - 10 nos.

tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp,

jaggery - 1 tbsp,

salt - to taste,

red chili powder - ¼ tsp or to taste.

roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp.

Method:

1. Grind together all the ingredients with a little water to a thick fine paste.

This chutney will keep in the fridge for a week so make it in advance. You can dilute it if you wish at the time of serving.

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5. For serving pani puri:

Finely choped onions and coriander leaves. Keep aside.

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Assembling pani puri before serving:

1. Place 5-6 puris on a plate. Tap each puri on the thinner side to make a hole. you can also use a back of a spoon to make a hole.
2. Add a spoonful of stuffing in each puri.
3. Add ¼ tsp green chutney and sweet chutney in the puri.
4. Add chopped onion mixture to top the poori.
5. Place a cup with the pani in the plate. And serve.

This is how it is served in the restaurants too. Before eating, a few spoonfuls of pani should be filled in the puri and the whole puri should be put in the mouth immediately otherwise the pani will make the puri soggy. It will be still tasty though.

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How is panipuri served on the street:

When you have panipuri on the street, the vendor gives you a plate, a stainless steel plate or a special bowl made with dry leaves(which is disposable and eco-friendly). He fills each puri with the stuffing and onion, dips the puri in a big pot containing spicy pani, and places that pani filled puri on your plate one after another till you ask him to stop.

You pick up each puri and stuff it into your mouth and enjoy each one of them. Do not try to talk while eating pani puri.

The vendor remembers your personal choice of more sweetness, more onions etc. He also remembers how many puris you ate even though he is serving puris to many customers at the same time. Most customers are regulars.

Some people swear that you should eat panipuri only that way on the street and it is the tastiest.

But as I said, I prefer to make it at home. Just try my pani puri recipe and then tell me how it came out. I have to go and have a plate of panipuri after writing this recipe. I have the ingredients ready and My mouth is watering.

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