S and I are quite crazy about pani puri and we hog them like gluttons. So, when we landed in Europe and started hunting for our favourite pani puri packets only to meet with disappointment in the Indian stores here, we decided we had to meet our craving in some way. And after multiple trials we finally zeroed on the tactics to get the perfect puris.

So, all you need to know are some tricks and you would also soon be marvelling with the happiness of seeing them go like this:

If you happen to be as big a fan of pani puri and are craving to have it in these ‘new normal’ times then, let’s get started 😊!

Time Taken : Preparation Time : 45 min, Cooking Time : 45 min

Ingredients

1 cup measures 75 gm odd

For Puris:

2 cups coarse Semolina/Suji/Rava

1 cup all purpose flour/Maida

1 cup wheat flour/Atta

For Masala:

4 cups dried white peas/safed matar (soaked in water for 12-14 hrs)

6/7 medium to big sized potatoes

1 cup of coriander leaves

3/4th cup Mint/Pudina leaves

3 green chillies (more if you want it spicy)

2 big onions

Salt to taste

Kosher salt

Chat Masala Powder

1 Lemon

For liquid filling:

3-4 tsp of chilli coriander mint paste (described in recipe below)

Pani puri masala powder

Chat masala powder

Green chillies (to make it spicy)

Kosher salt to taste

1 lemon

Recipe

For making puris:

1. Mix all the dry flours well. Then add water little by little to make a smooth dough. Nothing else to be added. No salt too.

The dough should neither be too moist nor too dry. Dough should be such that it should not stick to the rolling pin when you roll (you should be able to roll the dough without the need of extra flour for dusting) nor should it be so dry that you can see cracks in the dough while rolling.

2. The dough to be covered with a moist cloth at all times so that it doesn’t dry up.

3. Take small lemon sized balls from the dough. Then roll them thin. As thin as a pasta sheet. Do not dust with any extra flour while rolling.

If you see cracks while rolling the dough or if you feel the dough has gone too dry you can moist the lemon sized ball a bit by moisting your hands before making the lemon sized balls.

Also, for the moisture content to remain intact throughout, pluck only one lemon sized ball at a time for rolling into one sheet (follow the below steps till frying) and only then go for the second batch. Do not try to roll all the sheets and keep aside for frying as that will dry up the dough and the puris will not puff up.

4. Use a bottle cap to cut thin circles. The circles should be of such size that the puri can fit into your mouth at one go comfortably.

Bigger the puri is or thicker the puri is, they will become soggy after frying.

5. Use a small tumbler to fry. Put oil in the tumbler such that it will cover the entire puri properly. Wait till the oil is hot and then reduce the flame to medium-high range. Deep fry (both sides) only one puri at a time initially till you get a hang of it. Watch the video for demo.

When you put the puri it should be smooth. No cracks. No bends. And put such that it goes to the centre of the frying pan. And fry till it is golden brown so that it stays crisp.

For Masala Filling:

1. Take the soaked white peas and drain them off water.

2. Cut the potatoes into smaller cubes.

3. Add the peas and the potatoes to a pressure cooker and add water till half the cooker’s level. Boil the contents until three whistles, then turn down the flame to low for about 10 minutes. Check after the pressure is gone if everything is boiled soft. Mash the contents coarsely with a ladle.

4. Put the coriander leaves, Pudina leaves and chillies into a blender. Add 3-4 tsp of water and blend them to a fine paste.

5. Add the blended paste to the mashed potatoes and peas mix. Do save 3-4 tsp of the paste for the water filling.

6. Cut onions finely and add them to the above. Add salt. Sprinkle with kosher salt and chat masala to taste. Squeeze one whole lemon.

For the water filling:

1. Take two mugs of water in a tumbler

2. Add some of the chilli coriander mint paste saved to the water

3. Add salt, pani puri masala powder, chat masala powder and kosher salt to taste

4. Add fresh cut green chillies to make it more spicy if needed. Squeeze lemon to taste.

Enjoy the delicious pani puris to your fill with freshly cut onions garnished with coriander & mint leaves on the side.