Pani Puri/Phuchka

Making the Puris/Pooris:

The following quantities of the ingredients listed makes around a dozen puris:

Maida - 1/4 cup
Sooji (Semolina) - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp for dough + 1/2 cup for frying puris

1. Mix the above three well for 4-5 minutes. Knead into a soft dough using about 1/4 cup water. Keep aside covered with a wet cloth for at least one hour.

2. Roll into small phuchkas. Roll with a little oil in the palm of your hand and always keep the dough moist. (Tip: you can roll into a larger pancake and cut out small circles with a bottle lid).

3. Heat oil to smoking, reduce heat and fry.
    

Ingredients for the Pani:

Water - 2 cups

*Bhaja Masala - 1/2 tbsp

Green Chilly Chutney - 1tsp

Black Salt - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Tamarind juice (diluted) - 1 tsp

Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, chopped finely

Green Chillies - 1-2, chopped finely (optional)

Ingredients for Alu Filling:

Potatoes - 4 medium, boiled, peeled, and mashed

Onion - 2 tbsp finely choppes

Black Chana or Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas) - 2 tbsp

*Bhaja Masala - 1tsp

Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, chopped finely

Pani Puris - 2-3 (ones that aren't puffed)

Salt - to taste

1. When mixing the ingredients with the mashed alu/potato, use the "pani" (prepared above) to keep the filling moist.

2. Crush 2-3 pani puris and mix with the filling!

*Bhaja Masala (Roasted Spices )

Roast 2 tbsp jeera (cumin seeds) and 6 shukno lonka (dry red chillies) on low heat till jeera turns brown and chillies dark red. Do not char. Remove from heat and grind (use a coffee grinder). May be preserved for long periods and used for different preparations.

Disclaimer for die hard pani puri fans (including ourselves): The panipuris will certainly not taste exactly like the vendor derived ones, but the recipe is close to it!