Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Pani Puri (Golgappa)
Bite-sized, hollow, crispy spheres filled with spiced potatoes and chickpeas, then flooded with a spicy, tangy, minty 'Pani' (water).
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- store-bought puripads (or semolina/flour to make them)
- potatoes
- black chickpeas (kala chana) or moong sprouts
- mint leaves
- coriander leaves
- green chilies
- ginger
- tamarind paste
- jaggery
- pani puri masala
- black salt
- roasted cumin powder
Equipment
- Blender
- Serving bowls
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Spicy Water (Teekha Pani)
In a blender, puree a large bunch of fresh mint, half a bunch of coriander, green chilies, and a small piece of ginger with a little water.
- 2
Season the Water
Strain this green paste into a large bowl. Add 3-4 cups of chilled water. Add black salt, roasted cumin powder, and Pani Puri masala. Mix well and chill.
- 3
Prepare the Sweet Water (Meetha Pani)
Boil tamarind pulp and jaggery (or dates) with water until it forms a sweet, tangy syrup. Add a pinch of red chili powder. Chill this as well.
- 4
Prepare the Filling
Boil potatoes and black chickpeas until tender. Roughly mash the potatoes.
- 5
Season the Filling
Mix the mashed potatoes and chickpeas with a pinch of red chili powder, roasted cumin, salt, and fresh coriander.
- 6
Prepare the Puris
You can buy ready-to-fry Puri pellets and deep fry them (they puff up instantly), or buy ready-made crispy Puris.
- 7
The Art of Eating
Pani Puri is an interactive experience. Take one crispy Puri in your hand.
- 8
Crack the Puri
Gently tap the top center of the Puri with your thumb to crack a hole in it.
- 9
Add the Filling
Stuff half a teaspoon of the potato-chickpea mixture into the hollow shell.
- 10
Add Sweetness (Optional)
Add a drop of the sweet tamarind water inside.
- 11
Flood with Spicy Water
Dunk the entire stuffed Puri into the bowl of chilled, spicy green mint water until it is completely full to the brim.
- 12
Eat in One Bite
Immediately place the entire dripping Puri into your mouth. Do not bite it in half! Enjoy the explosion of flavors.
Cooking Tips
- The spicy water (Pani) MUST be ice cold for the best experience.
- The Puris must be eaten immediately after filling them with water, or they will disintegrate in your hand.
Variations
- Dahi Puri: Fill the puris with potatoes, sweet yogurt, chutneys, and sev instead of the spicy water.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Known by many names (Golgappa, Puchka, Patashi), this is the undisputed most popular street food across the entire Indian subcontinent.
Nutrition Estimate
250 calories · 6g protein · 45g carbs · 5g fat · 5g fiber per serving
