Pani Puri is a popular Indian street food and for good reason. It is a crispy shell filled with chickpeas and potatoes and dunked in a spicy green broth. Top it with sweet chutney and chopped red onion. It’s delicious!

I grew up watching Bollywood movies and this street food would sometimes make a cameo. I didn’t know what it was, but I wanted to try it.

It turned out to be Pani Puri, which is also known as jalapatra, phuchka, gupchup, golgappa, or pani ke patashe. It is amazingly popular and can be found in all parts of India and Pakistan. Puri is a deep-fried hollow ball that is filled with potato chickpea filling. The Pani is green water made from various herbs and spices. This is what you will dunk your puri in before stuffing your mouth.

So I went down the rabbit hole and tried to find a recipe that stayed true to its roots, yet still is realistic to make at home. I am not Indian, but when I try a recipe from a different culture, I want to be respectful of its history and the culture it comes from.

I hope you try and see what the hype is about! Check it out below!

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Ingredients for Pani Puri

First, let me talk about this recipe. I include how to make every component from scratch. But nowadays, you can get the pani and the puri in the grocery store. Depending on the freshness and quality, it could be just as good. But if you can’t find it or you want to make it on your own, I have detailed how to do so.

To make the Puri Dough you will need the following:

• Semolina flour. This helps it keep its shape when cooked.
• All-purpose flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Neutral oil, such as canola, grapeseed, or sunflower oil.
• Baking soda. For the rise.
• Water. Just enough to make a pliable dough.

To make the Pani water you will need the following:

• Mint
• Cilantro
• Green Chiles. Add enough to taste. If you are sensitive to spice, you can add less or omit it completely.
• Ginger
• Lemon Juice
• Black Salt. This is a sulphuric salt that adds flavor to the pani water. Regular salt will not be the same.
• Pani Puri Masala, This is a mixture of dry mango, mint leaves, coriander leaves, cumin, green chilies, tamarind, salt, and amchoor. It really gives a robust flavor base to the water. You can find this in Indian stores or online.
• Cumin Seeds

For the filling you will need:

• Potatoes. Russet potatoes work best.
• Black chickpeas or regular chickpeas. I used dried black chickpeas, but you can use canned chickpeas as a shortcut. Just be sure to drain and rinse well.
• Red chili powder or the pure powder you get from grounding red chilis. This is not the same as chili powder which has a mix of other powders, such as onion, garlic, and smoked paprika.

Then the rest of the ingredients will be the toppings. My favorite is sweet chutney, red onion, and some cilantro leaves on top.

Extra Tips

• When making the Pani dough, don’t add too much water. You want enough to make a dough with no dry bits, but you don’t want it wet. If you add too much, add a little flour to balance it. You know it will be ready if it’s elastic and you can move it around without cracking the surface.
• Be sure to roll out the dough as thin as possible. I used a circle cutter to get the shape and use a rolling pin to even it out. Then put it on a sheet tray under a damp cloth, so as not to try it out. The more even and thin the dough is, the better chance it has to puff up in the frying oil.
• To serve, have the pani in one plate, the puri in a bowl with a spoon (I prefer a spoon as opposed to dunking the pani in the spicy water), the filling in another bowl, and a plate for you. This is a messy, but delicious meal, so be prepared to use your fingers and get it all over your face. Once ready, crack an opening on the top of the pani, fill with your filling, top with onion and cilantro, spoon the puri water into the opening and open wide.

If you have any leftovers, be sure to store everything separately in the fridge. To reheat, warm the puri water in a pot or in the microwave-same process with the filling. The panis can be reheated in the oven or toaster oven until crispy again.

Want More?

Try Out Similar recipes below:

• Vegan Fish Curry
• Vegan Potato Samosas
• Vegetarian Pho

I hope you try this recipe. If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below.

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