The Ultimate Guide to Making Perfect Pani Puri at Home

Pani Puri recipe

Crispy, puffy puris filled with flavorsome pani, sweet chutney, and spicy masala – who can resist the charms of pani puri! This iconic Indian street food is a favorite snack across the country. While we all love to eat pani puri, making it at home can seem daunting. Getting the puri to puff up just right while also keeping it crispy, and nailing the perfect balance of spices in the pani and chutney – these are challenges even experienced cooks struggle with.

But fret not! In this article, we will walk you through a foolproof recipe to make perfect pani puri with homemade puris from scratch.

Ingredients for Making Pani Puri

Here’s a quick look at the main components of pani puri:

The Puri – Crispy, hollow fried balls made from coarse wheat flour (sooji). The righttechnique is key to get them perfectly puffed up.

The Pani – Flavored and spiced water infused with mint, coriander, spices, andchilies. Getting the right tangy-spicy balance is important.

The Meethi Chutney – Sweet and sour date-tamarind chutney spiked with aromatics.It provides a delicious contrast to the pani.

The Masala – A zesty spice blend that packs a punch. It’s sprinkled into the puribefore dunking into the pani.

Now let’s dive deeper into how to nail each element!

Step-by-Step recipe for Perfect Pani Puri

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Puri:

• 3⁄4 cup coarse sooji
• 1⁄4 cup fine sooji
• 1⁄8 tsp papad khar
• 1⁄3 cup + 1-2 tbsp water

For the Pani:

• 2 cups mint leaves
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 1 inch ginger
• 7-8 green chilies
• 1⁄3 cup tamarind pulp
• 2 tbsp jaggery
• Pani puri masala (see below)
• 500 ml water
• 2-3 ice cubes
• Salt to taste

For the Meethi Chutney:

• 250g seedless dates
• 75g seedless tamarind
• 750g jaggery
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp black salt
• 1⁄2 tsp dried ginger powder
• 1 pinch black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 liter water

For the Masala:

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1⁄2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp dried mango powder
• 1 tbsp black salt
• 1⁄2 tsp salt

Step 1 – Make the Pani Puri Masala

• Heat 1 tbsp cumin seeds in a dry pan on low flame till they turn darker brown. Take care not to burn.
• Add 1⁄2 tsp peppercorns, 3 cloves, and a small cinnamon stick. Lightly roast for a few seconds.
• Let cool completely and grind to a fine powder along with 1 tbsp dried mango powder, 1 tbsp black salt, and 1⁄2 tsp salt.
• Your pani puri masala is ready! It can be stored in an air-tight jar.

Step 2 – Prepare the Pani

• Blend together 2 cups mint, 1 cup coriander, 1 inch ginger, 7-8 green chilies, 1⁄3 cup tamarind pulp, 2 tbsp jaggery, 2-3 ice cubes, and the prepared masala powder along with 500 ml water.
• Pass the mint-coriander paste through a strainer into a bowl. Add 1 liter water and mix well.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. The pani should have a nice sweet, tangy and spicy flavor.
• Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Step 3 – Make the Meethi Chutney

• Soak 250g dates and 75g tamarind in hot water for 30-45 mins. Blend to a smooth paste with soaking water.
• Strain the date-tamarind paste to remove fibers.
• Add 750g jaggery, spices (chili powder, cumin powder, black salt, ginger powder, pepper powder), and 1 liter water.
• Cook chutney on high flame till it thickens. Simmer for 30 mins till glossy and dark.
• Cool completely and store in airtight container in the fridge.

Step 4 – Prepare the Puri Dough

• Mix together 3⁄4 cup coarse sooji, 1⁄4 cup fine sooji and 1⁄8 tsp papad khar.
• Gradually add 1⁄3 cup + 1-2 tbsp water and knead to a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest for 2-3 hours.

Step 5 – Roll and Fry the Puris

• Divide dough into small lemon-sized balls. Roll out very thin puris, about 2-3 inch diameter.
• Arrange puris on a plastic sheet. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a kadai to 190°C. Gently slide puris in and fry on medium flame till puffed up and golden brown.
• Drain fried puris on kitchen paper. They will be perfectly crisp!

And that’s it! Your homemade pani puri is ready to be assembled and enjoyed. Simply stuff the crisp puris with pani, meethi chutney and masala. Pop the whole puri in your mouth and let the burst of sweet, sour, spicy flavors transport you to food heaven!

Follow these tips and techniques for pani puri success:

Tips for Perfect Puri:

• Use the right coarse sooji – easily available in Indian markets. Normal wheat flour won’t work as well.
• Add a tiny pinch of papad khar for crispness. Avoid baking soda.
• Control moisture in the dough – too much water will make puris soft.
• Roll out thin puris and rest for 1 hour before frying for even puffing.
• Fry in hot oil till golden brown. Splash oil on top while frying.

Tips for Flavorful Pani:

• Use both mint and coriander for fresh flavor. Ginger and green chili add zing.
• Tamarind pulp and jaggery provide sweet-sour taste.
• Strain for smooth pani or blend well to avoid straining.
• Chill pani before serving for a cooling contrast to hot puri.

Tips for Sweet-Sour Chutney:

• Soak dates and tamarind before blending for smooth paste.
• Simmering thickens the chutney and enhances flavors.
• Balance sweetness of dates and jaggery with spices and black salt.
• Make extra chutney and freeze for longer shelf life.

Serving Suggestions

While pani puri on its own is fantastic, it can also be enjoyed with a variety of accompaniments. Here are some serving ideas:

• Top with boiled potato chunks, spiced chickpeas, or fresh pomegranate.
• Add sev, bhujia, or fried noodles for extra crunch.
• Stuff with ragda patties or dahi bhalla for texture.
• Sprinkle with chaat masala or red chili powder.
• Serve with green mint-coriander chutney for extra tang.
• Pair with chilled drank like jaljeera or sweet lassi.

Whatever you choose, pani puri is the ultimate party snack! It’s easy to customize to your taste.

Pro Tips from Chef

• Rest the puri dough for 2-3 hours after kneading to allow gluten to relax. This helps the puris puff up better.
• Roll out puris thin, about 2-3 inches in diameter. Thinner puris puff up more evenly.
• Let the rolled puris rest on a plastic sheet covered with damp cloth for 1 hour before frying.
• Use a large wok and less oil for frying. This allows puris space to puff up.
• Splash hot oil on top of puris while frying to cook and crisp the surface.
• Blend pani ingredients into a fine paste so straining is not required. Ice cubes retain color.
• Simmer meethi chutney for 30 mins for deeper flavor. Thickens as it cools.
• Make and freeze extra chutney so you can quickly assemble pani puri