I know for many Panipuri kindles too many gourmet dreams to confine within. And I simply love all chats, you give me anytime I am all set ready for it. Except for Pani Puri! After tasting my first one, I never turned to it. Seriously, I ran a mile if I had to eat this. On the other hand, hubby dear eats only this and nothing else. Of course, as I have said Dad never approved us on eating on the roadside shops, but where else you get the finest of chats you ask? Well next best is to make at home is the pat response.
When I was introduced to these chats many many years ago, I devoured all but this Pani Puri, simply because I couldn’t gulp the entire one in one shot nor could I eat such a spicy food as a whole. So when we go for chats, I eat Bhel Puri, Dahi Puri or even Masala Puri, while Hubby eagerly stands next to the Chat wala gulping down the numerous puris before the next one can be made.
Then something happened! We have a Gangotri, the Gujarati specialty shop close by and on a couple of occasions we ordered it. Since it was delivered, everything was kept separately and we had to make it ourselves. One day giving into the temptation, I had one and thereafter stopped counting! What followed was endless revelry with Pani Puri. We always had the recipe for making these, though I have almost made most of the chats at home, I never attempted at making Pani Puri from scratch.
That is exactly why Indian Cooking Challenge comes in place. This event is to make us attempt at dishes we may never try. So I decided this was surely on the list. When I expressed my choice, I had instant approval from all my ICC members. I was really very late in choosing the recipe, but it was fine as I selected one from my cuttings. Still, I was apprehensive in attempting it.
Other popular pani puri versions can be this Dahi Chutney wale Gol Gappe
It was a wonderful experience having everybody at home pinching in to make these awesome puris to go with the filling and pani. I adapted the recipe while I was making it. Though making lot of changes to the given recipe is not allowed, I take the liberty as this was not previously tried and tested.
I almost made changes to all the process involved, including the Aloo stuffing. I was happy recreating the taste I remember eating at Gangotri.
To make the pani, get the mint, coriander, chili and tamarind pulp ready. Puree it together for the pani. Refrigerate till served.
Both Mint water and Tamarind sweet water ready for serving!
To make the Puris
Prepare the dough the semolina, cover with a muslin cloth for nearly 1 hour.
Either roll our as a big circle, press down with a sharp lid to get same sized circles
Like this
else press down using a roti maker like this.
Heat a pan with oil, quickly drop in the rolled puris, and cook them till golden colour. The trick here is to get the oil hot and then drop in the puris.
Once all done, ensure you spread it for cooling, else the puris will become soft. Only after it is completely cooled should you store them in a container.
Then serve with the pani!
Pani Puri / Gol Gappe ~ Famous Indian Chat
For making Gol GappeSooji (Semolina) 1 cup
Maida (Plain Refined Flour) 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil for FryingThe recipe called for adding Cooking Soda, I didn't and still it perfectly puffed up.
For Spicy Pani or Spicy Water / Mint Water
Mint Leaves 1 cups
Coriander Leaves handful .
Tamarind pulp 3 tsp1/3 cup
Green Chillies 2
Roasted Cumin powder 1 tsp.
Salt to tasteOk, I didn't have Kala Namak / Black Salt but you need to add 1 - 2 tsp. Trust me still the pani was yummy!
Potato FillingBoiled Potato, grated to form a fine paste, sauteed in 1 tsp Oil along with Roasted Cumin powder, Red chili powder, salt.
This was awesome!
Another filling I gave was the Lentil FillingCooked Channa or Peas - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Chili powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder
Garam masala powder 1/4 tspCook the channa or peas till tender. Then drain and cook with the masala till aroma comes out.
For Red Tamarind Chutney
Tamarind 1 cup
Jaggery 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Dry Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp
Warm water 2 cups
Salt to tasteAgain I missed Kala Namak, but by all means do add it if you have!
Method to prepare:
For Gol Gappe or Puri:
In a bowl take semolina, plain flour, salt and knead well to make a stiff dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal. Actually since Rava was so much, the moment I add drops of water, it formed a stiff dough. I left at to rest for nearly 45 mins.
Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest till you get other things ready. Actually if it rests for more it tends to roll out best.
Then pinch out very small balls and roll them into small circles.
Remember you will be eating these as whole, so make small circles
Put the rolled out circles back under the muslin cloth while you are rolling the rest and before they can be fried.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, deep fry the puris
The idea is to puff them and fry them till golden brown.
Take them out and put them on kitchen paper towel, to get rid of the extra oil.
Notes: Allow the puris to cool before storing them in an airtight container. Else they will become soggy.
I also made using the Roti maker, place 3 - 4 pinched balls and press to get an even rolled out puris. Fry them immediately.
For making spicy water or Pani
Extract pulp from the tamarind
Add mint leaves, coriander, chillies and dry roasted cumin seed to the tamarind pulp. Add little water and blend to a smooth paste.
Add salt and black rock salt to taste.
Put it in the fridge to cool down.
Add water as required. It is normally recommended to add Ginger, but ginger and I are not friends!
How to make Red Tamarind ChutneyExtract the pulp from tamarind.
Recipe asks you to pound the roasted cumin seeds along with garlic cloves. But I am not for such process. I always have roasted cumin powder on hand, so used that instead. And cloves, well!
To the tamarind pulp add jaggery, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and salt.
You are supposed to cook this over low flame and store once it cools. But I used it as raw.
Assembling the Pani Puri / Gol Gappa
Poke a small hole in the center of the Gole Gappa/ Puri
Add a tsp of mashed boiled potato / Channa in the middle of the puri. Add a little of the red tamarind Chutney. Dip it in the spicy water / pour some spicy water in it
Gulp it down.
Notes: Alternatively you can mix a small quantity of Tamarind Chutney, Spicy water and pour this on stuffed puris and gulp down too. Which is how I normally get my Pani Puri down.!
Verdict:
Konda was elated on tasting these Pani Puris. She said it was the best she has eaten till now. Yes all of us liked it a lot. This surely is a keeper recipe.
To all my ICC members, please link your Pani Puri post to Mr. Linky.
Recipe
Pani Puri | Gol Gappe
Ingredients
For making Gol Gappe
- 1 cup Semolina / Rava/ Sooji
- 1/2 tsp All Purpose Flour / Maida
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil for Frying
For Spicy Pani or Spicy Water / Mint Water
- 1 cup Mint leaves
- Coriander leaves handful
- 3 tsp Tamarind Pulp appro. 1/3 cup
- 2 nos Green Chillies
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder roasted
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Black Salt /Kala Namak
For the Potato Filling
- 1/2 kg Potato
- 2 tsp Cumin Powder roasted
- 2 tsp Red Chilli powder
- Salt to taste
For Lentil Filling
- 1 cup Kabuli Chana boiled
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
- A Pinch Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam Masala
For Red Tamarind Chutney
- 1 cup Tamarind
- 1/2 cup Jaggery
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder roasted
- 2 cups Water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Black Salt /Kala Namak
Instructions
For Gol Gappe or Puri:
- In a bowl take semolina, plain flour, salt and knead well to make a stiff dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal. Actually since Rava was so much, the moment I add drops of water, it formed a stiff dough. I left at to rest for nearly 45 mins.
- Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest till you get other things ready. Actually if it rests for more it tends to roll out best.
- Then pinch out very small balls and roll them into small circles.
- Remember you will be eating these as whole, so make small circles
- Put the rolled out circles back under the muslin cloth while you are rolling the rest and before they can be fried.
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, deep fry the puris
- The idea is to puff them and fry them till golden brown.
- Take them out and put them on kitchen paper towel, to get rid of the extra oil.
- Notes: Allow the puris to cool before storing them in an airtight container. Else they will become soggy.
- I also made using the Roti maker, place 3 – 4 pinched balls and press to get an even rolled out puris. Fry them immediately.
Making spicy water or Pani
- Extract pulp from the tamarind
- Add mint leaves, coriander, chillies and dry roasted cumin seed to the tamarind pulp. Add little water and blend to a smooth paste.
- Add salt and black rock salt to taste.
- Put it in the fridge to cool down.
Making the Red Tamarind Chutney
- Extract the pulp from tamarind.
- Recipe asks you to pound the roasted cumin seeds along with garlic cloves. But I am not for such process. I always have roasted cumin powder on hand, so used that instead. And cloves, well!
- To the tamarind pulp add jaggery, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and salt.
- You are supposed to cook this over low flame and store once it cools. But I used it as raw.
For the Potato Filling
- Boiled Potato, grated to form a fine paste, sauteed in 1 tsp Oil along with Roasted Cumin powder, Red chili powder, salt.
Assembling the Pani Puri / Gol Gappa
- Poke a small hole in the center of the Gole Gappa/ Puri
- Add a tsp of mashed boiled potato / Channa in the middle of the puri. Add a little of the red tamarind Chutney. Dip it in the spicy water / pour some spicy water in it
- Gulp it down.
Swathi says
Srivalli,
Panipuri looks really good. I enjoyed making them .
lata raja says
The roti maker idea is something of a novelty! We could roll out more numbers at one time.
Asha says
Excellent! Even I have that problem of not opening the mouth big enough so I can get the whole Pani Poori inside at one time! 😀
Small Puris look good. great looking chaat.
simply.food says
Lovely panai puris ,crunchy and delectable.
Kanchana Shekhar says
Hi Srivalli,
I have sent the link to my pani puri recipe. The puris in the pictures are homemade with the roti maker and i will update the puri recipe soon. thanks!
Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal says
Your pooris came out perfectly Srivalli. Mine did not. I am going to try to prepare it again without soda as you mentioned and see what happens.
RajmiArun says
Hi,
I have linked my post.
FoodLovers says
Srivalli ,
Panipuri looks really good .. i enjoyed making them ..
Nutan says
Srivalli,
I posted my link just now. Your pani puris look delicious.
jayasree says
Puris have come out perfect.... Using a roti maker is a nice idea though. I usually roll into a big one and cut with bottle cap.
Valli, since I had already done a post on pani puri from scratch, I chose not to do it again.
Happy Cook says
Wowo i have neve rmade them at home, only are in India. Looks so so good.
Shubha says
Woohooo my first time with ICC...:) ur puris look great Sri... thanks for giving me chance to try the same...:)
Jayasri says
wow, the clicks are awesome valli!!!, looks as if I can pick one up and eat!! will post mine soon!!, thanks for the lovely challenge
Kiran says
Srivalli panipuri looks very delicious.Nice step by step presentation.
I would like to let you know that I started an event on wholegrains : barley.Would love to see your delicious entries for this event.Thank you.
Scraps says
Though we enjoyed eating our not-so-perfect Puri, I think I'll leave it to the pros from here on out 🙂
Looking forward to next month's challenge!
Veggie Belly says
Your puris are perfect! I always buy mine at the store; but will try your recipe next time!
myspicykitchen says
Pani puri looks awesome! This is my favorite chat and I hate to have missed this challenge. I will definitely try it when I get time.
N S says
I enjoyed making them and the taste was awesome. Thanks for the recipe. Added my entry.
Life is beautiful!!! says
Srivalli, the dish looks lovely. Sorry, I am bit bc to try new dishes. Hope u understand. But after seeing ever1s preparation I understand what I missed :(. I am going to prepare this weekend.
PJ says
Lovely presentation Srivalli.I was able to post it today.Sorry for the delay ....
Tejal says
This is so tempting! I'm tempted to go and have a plate of pani puri myself.
just a small note, when i make the mint pani, I don't add tamarind. I use the same quantity of mint, coriander, cumin plus 2tsp of the pani-puri masala available in the market, some dried mango powder or juice of half a lemon and kala namak, around 1-2 tsp. comes out yummy..
Never tried making puris at home..
nivedita says
Wow! Who does not like Pani puri! My regular preparation for my kids. But never tried the puris at home. I will try this time.
Thanks.
Vegetarian Yogini says
wow- very neat and detailed recipe! Love your story as well!
Ambika says
Hey Valli, I just posted the link for Paani Puri, thanks for the awesome challenge!
Madhu says
Srivalli,
I just posted my panipuri receipe . Thanks a lot
Vegetarian Yogini says
Your recipe is so well written and the puri looks delicious. I have linked my puri article , but do not have the mint to go with it...will cook it one day that way! The roti maker is an excellent idea- I never used it and have one lying in the pantry for years- now I know hot to employ it!
srivalli says
The dish takes a lot of tym..... bit its real yum! My paani puri was nyc.... but not as gud as those'dhabas'..... so my suggestion is that instead of doing this hard work betta buy them instantly!
Waiting for a reply!
Srivalli says
Srivalli, It feels odd writing my own name..:)..anyway as you said there are certain dishes that can work out easy if we get ready made, I guess it feels good to make them ourself at least once..Not only these, I enjoyed making the Raj Kachori as well..you should check that out..