This pani puri recipe builds golgappay, the street snack every Pakistani and North Indian city queues for, from scratch. Thin sooji puris puff in hot oil and shatter at the first bite, a spiced potato filling goes inside, and a chilled mint-tamarind pani floods in last, sour, salty and hot in one gulp. Coarse semolina gives the shells their famous crackle, as long as the dough rests and is kneaded smooth. Fry the puris once, fill them at the table, and this pani puri recipe will empty the plate fast.
First, make the dough. Mix the semolina, flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and rub in the teaspoon of oil. Add the warm water a little at a time and bring it into a firm, slightly tacky dough. Cover it with a damp cloth and rest it for 30 minutes so the coarse grains drink up the water.
Meanwhile, make the pani. Blend the mint, cilantro, chilies and ginger with 1/2 cup of the cold water to a smooth, bright green paste. Then stir it into the remaining 3 1/2 cups of water with the tamarind, lemon juice, cumin, chaat masala, black salt and pepper. Taste and add salt until it is sharp, salty and hot, then chill it for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Once cool, peel them and cut them into small dice, then toss gently with the onion, cilantro, cumin, chaat masala, chili powder and salt.
After the rest, knead the dough on the counter for 3 to 4 minutes. It is ready when it feels smooth and stiff, like firm clay, with no dry grains showing. If the edges crack, wet your hands and knead a little longer.
Next, divide the dough in half and keep one half covered. Roll the other on a lightly dusted surface to an even 2 mm (1/16 inch). Cut 2-inch rounds with a cutter or bottle cap and lay them under a damp cloth so they do not dry out. Then repeat with the second half.
Now heat oil 2 to 3 inches deep in a karahi or heavy pot to 350 to 360°F (175 to 180°C). A scrap of dough should rise to the surface within 2 to 3 seconds. Slide in 5 or 6 rounds and press each one gently with a slotted spoon; they will balloon within seconds.
Then fry the puris for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, turning once, until they are evenly golden and the bubbling has calmed. Lift them onto a rack or paper towels. Let the oil come back to temperature between batches, because cooler oil gives soft, oily puris.
After that, cool the puris completely for about 10 minutes; they turn crisper as they cool. Also set aside any that did not puff, because they make good chaat.
Finally, serve at the table. Crack a small hole in the top of each puri with your thumb, add a teaspoon of potato filling, then dip it in the chilled pani or spoon the pani in. Every pani puri recipe ends the same way: eat each one whole, in a single bite, before the shell softens.
4 servings