Pani Puri

When the community markets are closed and the streets totally empty, you bring the street food home! Pani puri or gol gappe or puchka is probably the epitome of Indian cuisine - savoury, tangy, spicy and such a community thing! It's the burst and layers of flavor that makes it such a super favorite. It isn't the easiest to make at home because of the different constituents required but totally worth the effort.

Ingredients

For puri (makes about 25)

1.25 cups suji
1/4 cup oilWarm water for kneading doughOil for frying

Pudina Paani
1 bunch of mint
2 cups loosely packed
1 bunch of coriander
2 cupsPinch of hing
Salt
Black salt
1/2 tsp amchoor
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder
3 green chillies
2 full lemon juice

Saunth/tamarind chutney
100gm tamarind/imli (soaked overnight)
200 gm sugar
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp black salt
pinch of cardamom
1tsp garam masala
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tsp of black pepper powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder

Filling
2 medium potatoes (boiled)
1/4 cup small chana

Method

To make Puris
1. Add oil to suji and mix it with hand
2. Use warm water and knead soft dough
3. Cover it with lid and leave it for 20 mins
4. Now knead dough and make it workable
5. Make small balls and roll them into thick puris
6. When oil is hot, fry them and let them get golden brown on slow gas

Paani
1. Except lemon, mix everything and grind it into fine paste by adding little water to it
2. Add cold water to get desired consistency
3. Add lemon juice and adjust salt as per taste
4. Add some boondi before serving

Saunth
1. Strain the soaked imli in a big bowl
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly
3. Boil this mixture on a high flame till it thickens and adjust masalas and spices to your taste. Also adjust sugar if needed
4. Simmer till you get a thicky but smooth consistency

Filling
1. Boil some chickpeas (preferably the small chanas you get in Indian grocery stores)
2. Dice boiled potatoes
3. Mix them and add salt and jeera to it

And now begin the fun, break some puris with your thumb, add some filling, then ... well you know the drill! Enjoy