Pani Puri Recipe | Homemade Golgappa or Puchka – 5 Tips

Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka recipe | Pani Poori recipe with detailed photo and video recipe. Perhaps one of the most common and popular Indian street food recipes. Basically, it is a combination of street food recipes made with small puri balls filled with spiced and mashed aloo and specially made spiced water. It is often served as a dessert snack after having spicy chaat recipes like bhel puri, sev puri, or pav bhaji recipes.

Pani Puri Recipe | Golgappa | Puchka recipe | Pani Poori recipe with step-by-step photo and video recipe. Indian street food recipes are world-famous because of the taste, flavor, and combination of spices. Most of them are either made with ragda curry or with a combination of deep-fried snacks in a chaat chutney. But there are some other unique water-based street food recipes and the pani puri recipe or golgappa is one such popular street food snack.

As I explained earlier, this is a unique chaat recipe or street food compared to other Indian chaat recipes. Compared to others, it deals more with water and less with curry and snacks. Hence it is typically served at the end of the chaat recipes meal. However, there is a myriad of variations to this famous street food. In Mumbai, it is known as the pani puri recipe, which changes its name in New Delhi to golgappa recipe. If we come further east it is known as puchka recipe and the combination is slightly different in it. The combination is more of a savory pani with spiced and mashed aloo. In Mumbai or even in north India the pani taste is more sweet and spicy water. I personally like it to be sweet and spicy with a hint of savory taste in it. But each individual would have a different taste and I have shown both the variation in this recipe post.

Furthermore, I would like to add some more variations, tips, and suggestions to pani puri recipe or golgappa recipe. Firstly, I have shown how to make puri from scratch in this recipe. Well, to be honest, it can be time-consuming and quite a bit of effort to novice cook. Perhaps, you can buy these poori pappads in-store and just deep fry them before using them. However, avoid buying the deep-fried poori from the store as it may be fried in not good oil or maybe soggy. Secondly, these puri’s do not have a longer shelf life and also I have not added any extra preservatives. Hence I would heavily recommend using these puris immediately and do not preserve them for future use. Lastly, while deep frying these puris, ensure the oil is sufficiently hot and once puris are thrown into the oil, they should immediately puff and not take much time.

Finally, I request you to check my other Chaat Recipes Collection with this post of the pani puri recipe or golgappa recipe. It mainly includes my other detailed recipes like sukha bhel, ragda puri, sev puri, papdi, black chana chaat, peanut chaat, samosa chaat, onion samosa, papdi chaat, kachori chaat. further to these I would like to highlight my other recipes categories like,

• Indo Chinese Recipes
• Snacks Recipes
• Curry Recipes

About Pani Puri or Golgappa

It is perhaps one of the most popular Indian street food of India, mainly because of the burst of flavor it offers in each portion. It is known by different names across India, but the most common names are Pani Puri or Golgappa (golgappe). In West Bengal, it is widely referred to as puchka but the basic ingredients remain typically the same. Generally, it is served as street food as there are many variables to prepare it. But that is a misconception and can be easily prepared at home.

Apart from the cooking of several ingredients for this recipe, there is another major step before serving it, i.e. assembly. The assembly or the sequence of all the ingredients added vary depending upon the taste or perhaps the region it is prepared. In other words, the type of assembly it undergoes, it gets its unique name. However, the most common way of assembling the ingredients is with sweet chatni, spicy & savory water, spiced mashed potatoes, and chaat masala.

Why does this recipe work

There are many factors that work for this recipe, however, the significant factors that favor this recipe are –

1. Combination of Flavors – The recipe involves assembling of range of ingredients that offers different taste and flavor. Basically, when combined together and served it offers a burst of flavor in your mouth.
2. Versatility – The recipe can be easily customized and changed as per individual tastes and preferences. The combination of sweet, savory, and spiciness can be altered to form a unique individual taste.
3. Refreshing & Hydrating – Unlike other Indian chaat recipes, the ingredients used in this recipe are wet compared to dry ingredients. These are generally made with mint and coriander leaves which are hydrating in nature.
4. Health Aspect – Due to the combination of spices and herbs like mint and coriander leaves. It is considered one of the healthy chaat or street food recipes. Hence it is typically consumed after all spicy food.
5. Interesting & Fun – The golgappa is served as individual puri filled with a choice of wet and dry ingredients. This is significantly different from the other chaat recipes which are portion based and hence it is a fun and bonding exercise with your friends & family.

Faqs for Pani Puri:

What is pani puri?

Pani puri is a common and popular Indian street food made with small puris filled with boiled, spiced, and smashed aloo and served with specially made spiced water called pani and sweet chutney. it is often served as a dessert snack after having spicy chaat recipes like bhel puri or sev puri.

How is pani made in a pani puri recipe?

To prepare pani, which is also called theeka pani, take mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, chili, and tamarind in a mixer. blend to a smooth paste adding the required amount of water. transfer to the bowl and add chat masala, cumin powder, and hing, salt, and water. to enhance the flavor of pani, you can prepare them in advance and keep them in the refrigerator and take it out just before serving.

How is the stuffing made in pani puri?

Generally, there are myriad ways in preparing the stuffing for the pani puri. take a bowl, add smashed aloo, chopped onions, coriander leaves, cumin powder, chaat masala, pepper powder, chili powder, and salt. the other variations are adding cooked chickpeas, moong sprouts along with the smashed aloo, or thick dry curry made up of peas which are also called ragda can be added as stuffing to the puri.

How is sweet chutney or meethi pani made?

Sweet chutney or meethi pani is made of tamarind and jaggery which is mixed with chaat masala, cumin powder, pepper powder, chili powder, hing, and salt. add water to it depending on the consistency and taste. this helps to balance the taste with that of spice water or theeka pani and makes the pani puri flavorful and tasty.

How to prepare puri for pani puri?

Take a cup of rava and 2 tbsp of maida to it. add oil, crumble, and mix well. add hot water and knead it well until the smooth and soft dough is formed. let it rest for 20 mins. after 20 mins, take a ball-sized dough, and roll it using a rolling pin to a small disc-shaped uniformly rolled thin puri. if they are rolled too thick, they get soft after frying. if the dough is not rolled uniformly, it won’t puff which makes the poori soft. fry the pooris in hot oil on a medium to high flame. these puris puff up immediately when they are put in the hot oil and do not take much time. as preservatives are not added to this fresh homemade puri, consume it immediately and do not preserve it for future use.

Why does my pani puri’s puri turn soft?

Firstly, add maida to the rava while kneading which acts as a binding agent to form a dough. secondly, knead the rava maida dough well to a moist one. thirdly, rest the dough for about 20 mins which helps the dough to absorb moisture and makes the dough stiff and firm. the dough should not be either too soft or too hard. there should not be any cracks in the dough too. finally, deep fry these puris in medium to hot oil which makes the poori crispy and not soft. also remember, while deep frying the pooris, do not overcrowd the puris in kadai.

Why my poori does not puff up?

While kneading the dough, knead well to the moist dough and do not add oil to it. this makes the puri turn soft. while resting the dough for about 20 mins, cover the dough with a damp cloth. if the dough is not covered with a moist cloth, the dough gets dried thus makes difficult while rolling. roll the dough uniformly to a thin disc-shaped puri. if it’s thick, pooris turn soft. also do not overcrowd the kadai with puri while frying in the hot oil. if you do so, poori does not get enough space to puff up. the flame should be medium to high while frying the puris. soon after they are dropped into the hot oil, they puff up without taking much time.

Video Recipe:

Recipe Card for Pani Puri or Golgappa:

How to make Golgappa with step-by-step photos:

1. firstly, in a large bowl take 1 cup rava and 2 tbsp maida.
   
2. add 3 tbsp oil, crumble, and mix well making sure the rava turns moist.
   
3. now add ¼ cup hot water and start to knead.
   
4. knead for 5 to 8 minutes or until the dough is formed.
   
5. sprinkle water as required and knead to a smooth and soft dough.
   
6. cover the dough and rest for 20 minutes.
   
7. after 20 minutes, continue to knead for 2 more minutes.
   
8. now pinch a very small ball-sized dough.
   
9. roll and flatten into a small disk making sure it is thin.
   
10. deep fry in hot oil, do not overcrowd the oil.
    
11. flip over once the puri puffs up. fry on medium flame until it turns golden brown and crisp from both sides.
    
12. drain off over kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil.
    
13. puri is ready for pani puri. once cooled completely, you can store it in an airtight container and use it for a week.
    

Theeka pani preparation:

1. firstly, in a small blender take ¼ cup mint, ½ cup coriander, 1-inch ginger, 2 chilli, and small ball-sized tamarind.
   
2. blend to smooth paste adding water as required.
   
3. transfer theeka pani puri paste into a large bowl.
   
4. add 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, pinch hing, ¾ tsp salt, and 4 cups cold water.
   
5. mix well and theeka pani is ready to enjoy with golgappa.
   

Khatta meetha pani preparation:

1. firstly, in a large bowl take 1 cup tamarind extract and 3 tbsp jaggery.
   
2. also add 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tsp cumin powder, ¼ tsp pepper powder, ¼ tsp chili powder, pinch hing, ¾ tsp salt, and 3 cups cold water.
   
3. mix well and khatta meetha pani is ready to enjoy with golgappa.
   

Aloo stuffing preparation:

1. firstly, in a small bowl take 3 potatoes, ½ onion, and 2 tbsp coriander.
   
2. also add ½ tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp chaat masala, ¼ tsp pepper powder, ½ tsp chilli powder and ½ tsp salt.
   
3. mix well making sure everything is well combined. aloo stuffing is ready to enjoy with puchka.
   

Assembling pani puri for serving:

1. firstly, just before serving add a handful of boondi to theeka pani and khatta meetha pani.
   
2. make a small hole in the center of puri.
   
3. stuff a tsp of prepared aloo stuffing into a puri.
   
4. dip into theeka pani or khatta meetha pani and enjoy.
   
5. Finally, the pani puri recipe is ready to serve.
   

Notes:

• Firstly, adjust the amount of spiciness and sweetness depending on your choice.
• Also, for crispy puri make sure to knead the dough really well.
• Additionally, roll the puri slightly thin, or else it will turn soggy once cooled.
• Finally, the pani puri recipe tastes great when prepared spicy and tangy.