Pani poori, also known as phoochka, gol gappa or gup chup, is a popular street food in India, Nepal and Pakistan. The name pani poori literally means "water in fried bread." This dish consists of a round, empty poori skin filled with a spicy potato-based filling and dipped in a watery sauce or pani, to fill the gaps in the batter. Pani poori differs from region to region, but this basic recipe is a great place to start.
Ingredients
For Poori
If you want to skip the process of frying your poori, you can buy the skin already made.
- 1 cup rava (can substitute wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon maida (can substitute white cake flour)
- A pinch of salt
- Warm water
- Vegetable oil
For Stuffing
- 2 russet potatoes
- 1 medium size onion, diced
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (a type of bean)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chat masala
- 1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves
- Salt
For Pani
- 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste diluted with 1 tablespoon of water
- 2 tablespoons jaggery (can substitute white sugar)
- 1 teaspoon black salt (can be substituted with table salt)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dhania powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2-3 chopped green chilies
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
- Water
Step
Part 1 of 4: Making Poori
Step 1. Mix the flour with a few tablespoons of warm water
In a bowl, mix flour and a pinch of salt. Add a teaspoon of warm water and stir with your fingers. Add another spoonful of water and mix again. The dough should be coarse and loose, not moist.
- Add the water very slowly, a little at a time, so you don't add too much. The poori dough should not be wet or sticky.
- If the dough feels very moist, add additional maida (or cake flour) to absorb the excess water.
Step 2. Knead the dough well
Use your hands to knead the dough for 7 minutes, until it's firm, elastic and shiny. This will encourage the formation of gluten, which is important for the texture of the finished poori.
- If the dough feels loose and messy, continue kneading. You should be able to pull the dough out without breaking it.
- If you wish, you can knead the dough using a mixer with a hook.
Step 3. Add a teaspoon of oil and continue to knead
Pour the oil on the dough and knead into the dough for another 3 minutes. This will improve the taste and texture of the dough.
Step 4. Leave the dough
Shape into a ball and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Place the bowl in a dry and warm place. Leave the dough for 15-20 minutes. This will continue to improve the texture of the finished poori.
Step 5. Roll out the dough to be very thin
Place the dough ball on a greased surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle no thicker than 0.625 cm. the dough should be able to roll easily without tearing. It may return to its original shape when you try to grind it, but with a little effort you should be able to make large, thin circles of dough.
Step 6. Cut the dough into smaller circles
You can use a biscuit cutter or a cutting frame. Cut as many dough circles as possible from the rolled dough.
Step 7. Heat the oil for frying
Pour 5 cm of oil into a deep pot or pan. Heat the oil until it reaches 204 degrees Celsius, or until a little bit of the mixture is added to the oil sizzling and turning the dough brown.
Step 8. Fry the poori
When the oil is hot, place a few circles of dough into the oil to cook. After just a few seconds, the dough will be fluffy and crispy. When they are crispy and slightly browned, after about 20-30 seconds, use a slotted spoon to transfer the poori onto a plate lined with thick paper towels to drain the oil. Continue to fry the circle of dough until it runs out.
- Poori will cook quickly, so keep an eye on them while they are in the oil. Take it out before it turns dark brown, or it will burn and crumble easily.
- Just fry a few poori at a time. When you fill the pan, it can be difficult to time each poori to cook.
- Don't cover the poori once it's ready to cook, otherwise the crispness won't last long.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Fill
Step 1. Prepare the potatoes
Peel the potatoes, then chop coarsely. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and soak them in cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook the potatoes until soft, and a fork pierces easily. Drain the water. Mash the potatoes with a fork.
Step 2. Add the spices
Put the red chili powder, chat masala and coriander leaves in a pot of potatoes. Add a pinch of salt. Use a fork to stir the spices into the potatoes until smooth. Taste the dough and add seasoning or salt if desired.
Step 3. Add the onions and chickpeas
Stir in the onions and chickpeas with a spoon, until all are well combined. If you wish, add a few drops of oil to moisten the filling. The dough doesn't need to be too moist as you'll be adding the pani as a final touch.
Part 3 of 4: Making Pani
Step 1. Mix everything except water
Put the herbs and spices in a blender, food processor or grinder. Blend until it becomes a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed to loosen the ingredients to make it easier to grind.
Step 2. Mix the paste with 2-3 cups of water
Put the pasta and water in a bowl and mix well. Taste the liquid and add table salt or seasonings if needed.
Step 3. Refrigerate the pan if you wish
Pani is often served cold with poori. If you want it cold, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the pani poori.
Part 4 of 4: Serving Pani Poori
Step 1. Gently tap the center of the poori to make a 1.25 cm hole
make a hole with the tip of a knife or your finger. Just make sure to pat lightly, as the poori is crunchy and crumbly.
Step 2. Fill the poori with a little filling
Spoon stuffing with mashed potatoes and chickpeas. If you want, you can include other fillings, too, such as chutney, yogurt sauce or green moong dal sprouts. Spoon enough filling to fill half the poori.
Step 3. Dip in pan
Dip the stuffed poori in the pani bowl so that the extra space in the poori fills with the spicy solution. Don't leave it in the liquid for too long as the poori will get mushy.
Step 4. Eat while still crunchy
It is important to serve and eat the pani poori straight, before it becomes soggy and crumbles. Eat it all in one or two bites. When you serve it to guests, you can let them make their own pani poori so they can try the best possible texture.
