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Pani Puri

Pani Puri is not just food but an emotion... do you agree?
Growing up in Mumbai, I learned to eat Pani Puri at an early age. My parents always took us to roadside vendors who would be dipping those hollow puris stuffed with potatoes and beans into spicy green water and sweet water and serve you individually. I would see everyone standing in the que around me rushing their plates to get served the next puri and screaming "Bhaiya teekha dena", "Bhaiya meetha dena" It brings back so many memories and even today when I go back I have to experience the same thing several times during my trip.
We ate Pani Puri outside and often made it at home and over the years I have tried and tested so many recipes and my mother in laws recipe has been a big hit. Spicy water is the key to this dish and if you get that right then everything else will taste perfect. I have been following the same recipe for last 10 years and I promise this water will remind you of the same roadside vendor from India. The recipe calls for fresh and minimum ingredients.
I make the stuffing using potatoes, chana and moong. It could also be made using ragda but we prefer the chana and moong version.
I get my puris from outside as its lot easier to buy it ready made. I get Deep brand puris and the tamarind dates chutney. We have tried many other brand but this brand tastes the best.
Checkout my tips & tricks before making it.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 3 people

Ingredients
  

Spicy Green Water /Teekha Pani

  • 2 cups mint leaves washed and soaked in water
  • 1 & 1/2 cups cilantro washed and soaked in water
  • 4 green chilies (modify if you want less spicy)
  • 3 cups water
  • 2.5 teaspoonful black salt
  • 3 tablespoon lime juice
  • salt if required

Aloo Chana Moong Stuffing

  • 1 cup dry moong washed and soaked in water for 4 hours
  • 1 cup dry chana washed and soaked in water for 4 hours
  • 1 large potato peeled
  • salt as needed
  • 1 tsp chaat masala

Ragda Stuffing

  • 1 and 1/2 cups dry white peas soaked in water
  • water as needed
  • salt as needed
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Assembling Pani Puri

  • tamarind dates chutney as needed
  • puris as needed

Instructions
 

Spicy Green Water /Teekha Pani

  • Grind mint leaves, cilantro, green chilies and black salt in a grinder. Add lime juice and only add salt if required
  • Add water and adjust the taste
  • Let the water sit for 3-4 hours in refrigerator
  • Strain the water before serving

Aloo Chana Moong Stuffing

  • Boil potatoes in an instant pot for 7 minutes on high pressure or in pressure cooker
  • Mash the potatoes once its done and add salt
  • add salt to the moong and cook it on stove top for 10 minutes till moong are cooked but overly cooked. You should be able to see the whole bean
  • Add salt to the chana and cook in an instant pot for 20 minutes or in pressure cooker
  • Mix chana, moong and potatoes and add chaat masala

Ragda Filling

  • Boil white peas in an instant pot for 20 minutes on high pressure
  • Once done add water as needed
  • Add salt and turmeric powder

Assemblng Pani Puri

  • Mix the spicy green water with desired tamarind dates chutney
  • Crack the puris to form a hole them
  • Fill the hole with desired stuffing
  • Dip the puris in the spicy and sweet water and enjoy !!!

Notes

Tips & Tricks 
  1. Make the spicy water on the same day or one day ahead as it tastes delicious when its fresh and it will retain its color 
  2. Adjust the water if needed with you desired spicy and sour taste 
  3. Make sure the moong and chana are not overcooked 
  4. To make it jain, potatoes can be skipped
  5. Fill all the puris with stuffing before eating  as you will not want to wait once you begin eating 
Keyword Indian Street Food