Pani Puri

Ingredients:

6-7 cups cold water

1/2 cup packed pudina leaves

1 green chilli

small piece ginger

1 tbsp amchur pwd

1/2 tsp chaat masala pwd

1/4 tsp cumin pwd

pinch of black salt (optional)

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

salt to taste

Method:

Make a paste of mint leaves, green chilli and ginger and keep aside.Take a vessel, add the cold water in it, followed by the green mint paste and combine well. Add cumin pwd, chaat masala pwd, amchur pwd, black salt, salt to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Chill in refrigerator till use.

Assembling Pani Puri:

Take a small puri in your palm and lightly press the top to make a hole in the puri. Stuff with a tsp of spiced mashed potato, 1/2 tsp of chopped onions, 1 tsp of sweet chutney, pour 2 tbsps of the prepared chilled mint pani and stuff the whole puchka into your mouth. Then savor the explosion of flavors.

Puri/Puchka 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup maida/all-purpose flour

2 tbsps urad dal flour

1 1/2 cups ravva/semolina/sooji (very fine variety)

1 tbsp oil or ghee

salt to taste

water for kneading

oil for deep frying

Method:

Combine all the mentioned ingredients (except oil for deep frying), adding water slowly and make a dough. Leave aside covered with damp cloth for 30 mts. (very imp step) While the dough is resting. Prepare the pani (water) required for the puchka. Boil two potatoes, peel and mash. Combine the mashed potato with little salt and red chilli pwd and keep aside until use. Chop a large onion finely and keep aside until use.Knead the dough again. Pinch off some dough and make very small balls. Roll out small thin rotis, using the rim of a container to cut out the round shape. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. It should be on medium high (the oil should not be piping hot) and once its hot, slide few rotis into the hot oil and using the back of the ladle, press in the center and along the edges and you will find it will puff. Flip over and fry the other side till light golden brown. Don’t fry too much as it will turns too dark. Remove on to absorbent paper. Cool and store in an air tight container and use when required.

Note: Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying the puri. If the oil is not hot enough, the roti will absorb a lot of oil. If made ahead of time, lightly warm in oven for 3-4 mts before serving. Ensure to roll out very think puris. And use very fine sooji.