Pani Puris
A different taste experience every time. Get creative and enjoy these pani puris.
I love pani puris! These flavour bombs have to be one of my favourite starter courses. Not just because they taste amazing but because they are so easy to prepare.
In fact, if you’re thinking about serving pani puris at a dinner party, your guests will do most of the work and enjoy doing it. Just place the puri shells on the table with the other ingredients and let everyone go wild, making their own flavour combos.
The small puri shells are quite difficult to get right so I suggest purchasing them. Puri shells are available at most Indian grocers. Boil some potatoes and chickpeas and lay out some of the topping ingredients I mention below. Feel free to come up with a few toppings of your own!
The small puris are often filled simply with dry ingredients such as the above mentioned potatoes and chickpeas and perhaps a little yoghurt and seasoning. More often, however they are filled with green or black pani (water), hence the name ‘pani’puri.
Adding this delicious liquid is done right before popping the puri into your mouth. This is important as the shells will become soggy if you don’t eat immediately. Pop the whole thing into your mouth and you’ll be hooked on all the different flavours and textures!
My pani puri spread!
Pop it in your mouth!
Lately I have been making my own puris with the help of a roti maker. My recipe will be posted soon for the dough but most roti machines come with a book of recipes.
In order to get the puris to puff up right, the little discs of dough need to be perfectly flat. Roti Makers will make this easy for you. Then all you need to do is cut the puris out with a cookie cutter and I’m making perfect baby puris!
Flat dough discs made in a roti machine.
Fry the discs in hot oil a few at a time. They will puff right up.
No waste! Don’t throw away the cuttings. These are delicious served in chaats or on their own.
Easy Pani Puris
Ingredients
- 400g chickpeas
- 150g boiled potato, grated or cut into very small pieces
- 30 small puris - Shop bought are fine
- LITTLE EXTRAS FOR SERVING
- Salt
- Chilli powder
- Ground cumin
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- Amchor powder (dried mango powder, see p00)
- 200g (¾ cup) plain yoghurt, whisked
- Chaat masala
- Finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
- Pomegranate seeds
- Tamarind sauce
- Green pani (see p00 or shop bought)
- If you present the puri shells with all the different toppings, there’s nothing more to do than say dig in! Tell people to try them with different fillings. Some might like them with just chickpeas, chilli powder, chaat masala, yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. Others might top them with everything before filling the tiny puri shell with the green pani and popping it into their mouth. Don’t add anything to the puri shells beforehand or the shells will get soggy. Enjoy your pani puri party!
Instructions
- Place the puri shells, pani and other toppings on the table. Dig in! It's that easy.
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