Pani Puri

Method

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1. Mix the semolina, plain flour and dough salt with the warm water into a very stiff dough. Knead 8 minutes.

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2. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 30 minutes.

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3. Roll the dough as thin as you can and cut 40 rounds about 4 cm across.

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4. Heat the oil to 190C and fry 6 rounds at a time, pressing them under with a slotted spoon until they puff, about 90 seconds each batch.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

5. Drain on a rack and cool completely — they crisp as they cool.

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6. Blend the mint, coriander, chillies, ginger, tamarind, chaat masala, cumin and black salt with a little of the cold water to a smooth paste.

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7. Stir the paste into the rest of the ice-cold water and chill 30 minutes.

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8. Toss the potato and chickpeas with the chilli powder and a pinch of salt.

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9. To serve, crack a hole in the top of each puri, spoon in a little filling, dip it full of cold pani.

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10. Eat it whole, immediately, and make the next one.

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Chef’s Tips

• Stiff dough and 190C oil, or they will not puff.
• Cool them completely before storing — warm puris go soft.
• Fill one at a time. Twenty seconds is all you get.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Sweet tamarind chutney
• Bhel puri
• Cold lassi

Storage & Reheating

The puris keep 2 weeks airtight. The pani keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.