Pani Poori - for the Indian Cooking Challenge

Hello friends...here I am after a long long back.... and with my second recipe in this year and also as a fresh new member of the ICC - Indian Cooking challenge. This is my first participation in the ICC... and I just loved this experience. This months topic was Pani poori (an indian snack) my favorite street food. Loved making it...:) Here is the recipe for the pani poori.

Ingredients :

For the Pooris (altered recipe by me..)

Sooji (Semolina) - 3/4
All purpose flour - 1/4 tsp (APF)
Cooking soda - 1tsp (optional - skipped it)
little water for kneading the dough. -1/4 cup approx
Salt to taste
Oil for Frying

The method is so simple.. I never thought it cud be so easy to make these pooris. It does need some work...like rolling out the dough into small pooris and then fryin it on medium high...maybe 3 or 4 at a time... hmm.. it did take me a lot of time....hence I made it a day before. These can be easily stored in a nice air tight container...and will stay fresh for weeks...:) Please note that u allow the poori to cool down completely before u put them in a container. For the method : Mix the sooji, salt, APF into a tight dough. it should be pliable yet firm... cover with a damp cloth and keep it aside for 10 mins.

Arrange for 2 damp clothes. One to put the rolled Pooris on and other to cover them. After 10 mins... roll the pooris out. Once u have rolled them all... now fry them.

** Tricks I learnt.... Instead of rolling individual small pooris.. u can roll a big sheet and using the lid of any bottle or cookie cutter... u can cut out the round shapes. Please keep in mind that the poori have to me medium size. Something u can put in ur mouth whole.

Dont keep flipping the poori when fry. Put the poori in... let it be there for 5 secs... flip it.. and then gently press it with ur laddle... ur pooris will puff up well that way...:) It did for me..:D

I tried this poori twice..once with soda and once without it. I liked it better without the soda. As i felt it puffed better... and I also increased the proportion of maida to sooji... in the second trial... and wow! my poori were more lighter and puffy :) I will share both the pics with u... so u can see the difference..:d

pic one and two r the trials with less maida and soda. Pic three is with more maida and no soda.

For the Spicy Pani


Mint Leaves - 1 1/2 cups chopped well
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Tamarind concentrate - 1 1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 3
Ginger - 1 " piece
Black salt - 1 tsp
8 to 9 cups of water
Pani puri Masala - 2 tbsp (optional)

The actual recipe called for roasted cumin... I skipped it and yet it was just awesome...:)

Method : Blend the green chillies, coriander, mint and ginger, tamarind... into a fine paste using little water. Add this mixture to the water. Add salt and ur pani is ready. (alter the salt according to ur taste...)

I added some pani poori masal also to it... just coz I am habituated too...:P But i guess it will taste good... even without it..:D

I made 2 different types of fillings...

1. The Potato filling : mix together mashed potato, salt, red chilli powder. Mix well and ur filling is ready.

2. Chana filling : Soak and pressure cook Chana / Garbanzo (u can even use canned). Put the chana in a pot and cook it with a little water. Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder, Garam masala to it. Cook well till the masala smell goes off. Ur filling is ready ..:)

Tamarind Chutney

Take 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate and mix it with around 3/4 cup of water. Add sugar/jaggery, a pinch of red chilli powder. Boil it well so that it reduces to almost half. Ur chutney it ready too...

And so r u I guess to indulge in this super famous ...real tangy and yummy snack... yumm!

Hope u liked the recipe.. will post more soon..:d