Pani Puri [Indian Chaat Recipe]

1. PURI

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Semolina (Rava / Suji) 
2. 3 tbsp Fine Wheat Flour (Maida) or 1 ½ tbsp urad dal flour 
3. 1/4 tsp Baking Soda or (Little less than 1/2 cup club soda)
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil to deep fry 

Method to make crisp puris:

• Mix sooji, maida, baking soda, salt and enough water to knead a dough.
• Cover with wet cloth and leave aside for about 30 minutes.
• Make small sized balls. The puris are to be eaten whole. So keep that in mind while deciding poori size.
• Roll into thin rounds using a little dry flour if necessary.
• Heat oil in a pan and place each round in the hot oil.
• Press it with a slotted spoon so that it puffs up.
• Fry each puri till it is crisp. Do not let it become dark brown. It should be just very light brown.
• Drain on a paper towel for some time. 
• Cool and store in an air tight container and use when required.

2. PANI

Ingredients:

1. 2tbsp Tamarind (Imli) Pulp 
2. Ginger small piece
3. ½ cup Mint Leaves (Pudina Leaves)
4. 1 cupCoriander Leaves 
5. 2 Green Chilly (Hari Mirch) 
6. 1 tsp roasted Cumin Seed (Jeera) Powder
7. 1 tsp un-roasted Cumin Seed (Jeera) 
8. Lime juice
9. 1 tsp Chaat masala pwd
10. 1 tblsp Black Salt (kala namak )
11. 3 tbsp Jaggery / sugar
12. Salt to taste
13. 3- 4 cups Water

Method:

• Make a paste of mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli and ginger and keep aside.
• Take a vessel , add the cold water in it, followed by the green mint, coriander paste and combine well.
• Add tamarind pulp, cumin pwd, lime juice, chaat masala pwd, jiggery, black salt, salt to taste. Garnish with some coriander leaves.
• Check for the taste and adjust the flavours as necessary. Chill in refrigerator till use.

3. SWEET CHUTNEY 

Ingredients:

1. 200 gms tamarind (remove seeds)
2. 100 gms dates (pitted)
3. 150 gms jaggery
4. 2 cups water
5. 1 tsp fennel
6. 1 tsp cumin seeds (roast and grind coarsely)
7. 1 tsp salt
8. Red chilli powder as per taste

Method:

• Put the tamarind, dates, jaggery and water in a saucepan and cook on a medium flame till the dates and tamarind are soft.
• Turn off flame and allow the mixture to cool.
• Use a food processor or hand blender to blend mixture together into a smooth sauce.
• Put sauce back into the saucepan and onto a medium flame and add remaining spice ingredients.
• Bring the sauce to a boil and turn off.
• Allow to cool, then chill and serve.

4. STUFFING FOR PANIPURI

Method:

• Soak Chana for about 6 hours. Boil in water till done. Add salt and a little turmeric powder while it cooks.
• Boiled Potatoes are also used by themselves or are mixed with the chana.
• Fried boondi or sev
• Chopped onion 
• You may try different stuffings.

HOW TO PROCEED :)

Take a small puri in your palm and lightly the top to make a hole in the puri. Stuff with chana, mashed potato, chopped onions, sev or boondi, sweet chutney, pour 2 tbsps of the prepared chilled pani and pop the whole puri into your mouth.. enjoy!!!!