PANI PURI RECIPE | GOL GAPPAS - PUCHKA

Pani Puri or Puchka or Gol Guppa is my Favourite Indian Chat Pani Poori. Vow the name itself makes your mouth water !!!!!!!!!!

It is the best street food and one of the most popular chaat in India. The taste of Pani and the various fillings vary from region to region.
 

I remember eating panipuris as a child on ALIBAG beaches

Today being saturday I thought of preparing this chat for evening snacks.
 

Crisp semolina puris filled with sprouts and chilled mint flavoured water make a great snack for a hot summer afternoon. They are known as "golgappas" in northern india and as "poochkas" in west bengal. When my favourite "panipuriwallah" is serving me these delightful little puris one after the other, i just go on eating till i can eat no more! sprouts can be replaced by hot ragda to complement the chilled mint water.

 

Making the puris takes some time to master and although they can be bought from a local store, the extra effort put in to make them at home is well worth the trouble. Do remember to store the puris in an air-tight container. You can always refresh them by baking them in a slow oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients:


About 30-40 puris’s (store bought or home made)

Spicy Pani
3 cups water
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves
4 -5 green chilli (As per your taste)
1 inch ginger(optional)
1 tsp dry mango powder
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
3 tbsp pani poori masala { I had used Everest brand }  ( If pani puri masala is not available, mix 1/4 tsp chilli powder,1 tsp of chat masala; 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp kala namak (black salt), 1 tbsp tamarind pulp & a pinch of salt. )
1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
Salt to taste

Panipuri filling:
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1 cup  Boondi ( optional)
Moong bean sprouts( Salted) / Boiled chickpeas  (smashed)
Chopped onions (optional)
sev (optional)

 Date and Tamarind Chutney:

8 -10 deseeded dates

2 tbsp tamarind pulp

1/4 cup jaggery

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

-Salt to taste

Method:


For Pani:

• Grind together Mint leaves, Coriander Leaves,ginger and Green chillies in a grinder or hand grinder finely.

• Mix all the ingredients for making pani along with this green mix, and cool it in refrigerator or add some ice to it.
• Check for the taste and adjust the flavours  of tamarind / spices as  per your taste.

For Chutney:
 

Grind all the ingredients, along with little water, to make a thick chutney.

For Filling:

Mix salt n red chilli in potatoes and set aside rest ingredients in separate bowls.

Assemble the Puchka’s/Pani Puri’s:

• Tap the Puri at the center(on the thin fragile side) lightly to make a small hole in it.
• Stuff the puri with about 1 tbsp of the various desired fillings .
• Now add 1 big drop of the Tamarind Chutney.(those who like only spicy and not sweet,like me, can avoid adding it).

• And finally dip filled puri into the chilled pani and there it goes... the crispy-spicy-sweet  tangy puri  into your mouth. Enjoy.

Tips:
 

1) Remember you will be adding more water to dilute so  green paste should be spicier. Strain the paste using water as needed

2) Stir the pani well before dipping the puri's.

3) Serve immediately as the puris will tend to be soggy after some time