Description
Easy Pani Puri is a classic Indian street snack featuring crispy hollow puris filled with a spiced potato and chickpea mixture, served with tangy and refreshing jaljeera water. This recipe guides you through making crunchy puris from semolina dough, preparing a flavorful aloo filling, and blending a zesty jaljeera pani for an authentic and delicious experience perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Puri
- ½ cup fine Sooji (Semolina)
- 2 tablespoons Atta (Whole Wheat flour)
- ¼ cup hot but not boiling Water (+/- 1 teaspoon)
For the Aloo Filling
- 2 boiled and peeled Potatoes
- ¼ cup boiled Kala Chana or Kabuli Chana (Black Gram or Chickpeas)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Salt
- ½ teaspoon roasted Jeera Powder (roasted ground Cumin)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder (adjust to taste)
For the Jaljeera Pani
- ½ cup chopped raw Mango or 1 lime sized seedless Tamarind (use either)
- 2 Green Chillies or Serrano Peppers (adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 cup fresh Pudina leaves (Mint leaves)
- ¼ cup fresh Coriander leaves
- 3 Peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon Jeera (Cumin)
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Salt
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- Adjust lime juice and black salt to taste
For Garnishing & Servings
- Soaked Boondi
- Pudina leaves
- Sweet Tamarind Chutney
Instructions
- Prepare the Puris: Mix sooji and atta in a bowl. Add ¼ cup hot water gradually and mix to form a stiff dough. Knead the dough by hand for 5-6 minutes until firm and smooth. Cover with a wet cloth and rest for 20-25 minutes to allow the dough to hydrate.
- Shape the Puris: Knead the rested dough briefly. Divide into 4 equal parts. Roll one part into a thin rope and cut into blueberry-sized pieces. Roll each piece between your palms to smooth, press gently to flatten slightly, then roll out with a rolling pin into circles about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. Place each rolled puri on a thick plastic sheet covered with a dry cloth. Repeat with all dough pieces.
- Fry the Puris: Heat oil in a karahi until very hot but not smoking. Drop one puri into the oil with the side touching the plastic sheet going in first to ensure proper puffing. Press the puri lightly with a slotted spoon. Once it puffs up, turn over and press lightly to achieve an even golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Fry all puris similarly. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
- Make the Aloo Filling: Lightly mash boiled potatoes and boiled chickpeas by hand. Mix in black salt, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder thoroughly. Set aside to blend flavors.
- Prepare Jaljeera Pani: In a blender, combine chopped raw mango or tamarind, green chillies, mint leaves, coriander leaves, peppercorns, cumin, red chilli powder, black salt, sugar, and 2 cups of water. Blend until smooth. Strain through a mulmul cloth-lined strainer into a large bowl, pressing to extract all liquid. Discard residue. Add another glass of water to the strained liquid, then taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice and black salt as needed. Chill before serving and optionally add soaked, lightly squeezed boondi.
- Serve: Poke a hole in each puri with your thumb. Fill with the aloo filling and pour jaljeera pani inside. Add tamarind chutney if desired. Eat immediately to enjoy the burst of flavors and textures.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 40-50 puris depending on their size.
- The dough should be firm, similar to dough used for puris, ensuring proper puffing during frying.
- Roll puris evenly and thinly; uneven thickness prevents proper puffing.
- Shape does not need to be perfect; oval or circular is acceptable.
- Use oil with a high smoke point such as refined sunflower oil for frying puris.
- Test oil temperature by frying 1-3 puris first; correct temperature ensures optimal puffing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 7-8 puris with filling and jaljeera)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
