Pani Puri

Pani Puri, Golgappe, Gupchup.... This Queen of Chaats might have 10 different names but is favoured by millions of Indians.

The best place to taste authentic Pani Puri are the roadside Thelas. "Bhaiya, ek Pani Puri dena. Thoda Teekha banana". The Bhaiya dips a nice, round puffed Puri in Pani stored in a Matka or handi and serves it to you right away. And you end up eating THE Perfect Pani Puri.  

This has now changed to something more "sophisticated". Roadside Thelas are thought of as unhygienic places and you are promised the same taste in restaurants. Pani is served in a bowl surrounded by a plate of puris. So your experience is minus the Pani Puri Bhaiya, your preference of "meetha zyada" or "teekha zyada" and the brick red Matka.

Recreate THE perfect Pani Puri by following this recipe.

Ingredients:

For puri:

2 cups fine rawa
½ tsp salt
1 cup maida
1 tbsp oil

For pani:
Meethi chutney
Teekhi chutney
Dry masala
Chaat masala
Salt to taste
Water
Jaggery (if required)

Other:

Boondi (Soaked in water for a while)

Method:

For Puri:

Mix rawa and maida. Add salt. Make dough. Put oil. Roll out thinly and deep fry in oil.

For Pani:

Grind all ingredients in the mixer to a paste. Add water according to the desired consistency.

How to serve:

Make hole in puri. Put soaked boondi and pani puri water and serve.

And some more.....

Like zyada teekha? Add more of green chillies in Green Chutney!
Like zyada meetha? Add more sweet chutney in your Puri!
Want to try something different?
Healthy - Try stuffings Puris with sprouts instead of Boondi!
Tasty - Try stuffing with Dry Ragda!

Khajur Imli ki Chutney

This sweet and sour chutney is what makes Chaats taste like Chaats! This is also the second secret ingredient to making the perfect Pani for the Pani Puri. What is most important here is to get the perfect balance of sweet and sour taste.

Ingredients:

2 cups tamarind pulp
1-cup jaggery
½ cup dates
2 cups water

2 tsp Dry Masala

Method:

Mix the tamarind pulp, jaggery, dates and water and boil for 5-10 minutes. Cool and grind. Mix two tsp of dry masala.

And some more.....

Date is the secret ingredient used to make the perfect sweet and sour Chaat ki chutney. Adjust sweetness with adjusting quantities of Jaggery and dates. If you don't have tamarind pulp, use dried and salted tamarind without seeds.

UPDATE: 

For dry masala:

Mix together:

2 tsp black salt powder
2 tbsp roasted cumin powder
2 tbsp chilly pwd

Green Chutney

Starting with one of the most basic recipes, the green chutney. This humble green paste is the secret to making the perfect Pani for the Pani Puri and also used to add flavour while dishing up some tantalizing chaats.

  

Ingredients: 

1-cup mint leaves

1-cup coriander leaves

2-3 green chillies

½” ginger

1 tbsp limejuice 

1 tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

¼ tsp sugar

Method:

Mix all ingredients n grind together to a smooth paste. Use water as and how required.

And something more:

Add extra chillies to make it more pungent!