Pani puri

Pani puri/golgappa/puchka is an insanely popular Indian street food, and that holds true in my household too. This has to be the second most requested street food I make for my friends! I miss street food culture back home, I used to get in so much trouble for sneaking off to the market square all the time to buy pani puri after dinner, and hanging out with my college friends eating way too many of these.

It’s sorta hard to describe the flavor profile. A little sour and spicy with a subtle sweetness from the tamarind paste - the cumin forward base - it’s very well balanced. When served chilled this street food is so refreshing, salty, herbaceous, and lip smackingly addictive.

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Prep:

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients:

• I container of semolina puffs (store-bought at any Indian grocery store!)

For the potato mash:

• 2-3 large potatoes boiled and skinned

• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

• 1 tbsp chili powder/paprika

• 1/2 small onion diced

• salt to taste

For the pani

• 2-3 tbsp of pani puri powder (store-bought)

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp chili powder/paprika

• 2-3 tsp freshly ground mint

• 1/3 cup cilantro finely chopped

• 1-2 tsp tamarind paste (substitution: 1:1 ratio vinegar and brown sugar)

• 1 small lime, or more to taste

Cooking the potato:
I usually use yukon or russet potatoes, they’re the most versatile. If your potatoes are large, cut it in half and boil over medium-high for 30 minutes.

Pro-tip: mash once all the ingredients are mixed in. Overworking the mashed potato will make it gluey. Same for mashed potatoes, you don’t want to overwork it.

And if you end up with a drier crumbly potato, just add some water to it when you’re mashing and mixing it.

Preparing the pani:
Mix all the ingredients listed under pani, that’s literally it. Adjust the level of sourness and spice to your liking. I like mine with lots of lime.

Pro tip: After you make your pani, refrigerate it for an hour or simply dunk some ice to chill the pani. Trust! It’s even better when chilled.

Putting it together:
The semolina puff has a thinner and crispier side, hold that side of the puff up in one hand and punch a hole with your thumb, stuff it with the potato mash, and if you want to do it the authentic way, dunk the puff into the pani and you always have to put the whole puri in your mouth!

Enjoy this refreshing street food, it’s perfect for a hot summer day. Nom nom time!