Pani Puri – Golgappa recipe

Enjoy the flavor explosion of homemade Pani Puri, a delightful Indian street food! Crispy puris filled with tangy tamarind water, spicy mint chutney, potatoes, and chickpeas for a refreshing treat.

In this Post:

• Why you’ll love this recipe
• Ingredients you need
• How to make Pani Puri?
• Tips for Recipe
• What to serve with Pani Puri?
• More Appetizer recipes

Pani Puri needs no introduction! If you’ve ever experienced Indian street food, Pani Puri has to be at the top of your list.

It is not only a delicious dish but a unique experience. Street vendors fill crispy golgappas with chickpeas and other toppings, then scooping it with a refreshing and tangy sauce you must eat immediately!

While we can’t recreate the street experience, you can enjoy pani puri in the comfort of your home!

Why you’ll love this recipe

You won’t believe how easy it is to make Pani Puri at home!

It makes for the perfect appetizer or snack. And it is a delightful dish when entertaining a crowd.

• It’s quick – you can prepare the toppings, golgappas, and paani and assemble them before serving.
• Customize it to your tastes – switch out the toppings or spices to make it your own.
• Use store-bought ingredients like chutney and golgappas to make it even easier!

Recipes you’ll love

If you’re looking for more chaat recipes, here are some of our favorites:

• Dahi Papdi Chaat
• Aloo Chaat
• Chana Chaat: Pakistani Chickpea Salad
• Dahi Vada Papdi Chaat

Ingredients & Notes

There are two parts to this recipe – 1) making the paani (water) and 2) assembling the pani puri with the golgappas and toppings.

• Tamarind pulp – typically sold in large concentrated blocks at Asian or Indian grocery stores.
• Black salt – Kala Namak – a rock salt with a sulfurous smell mined from the Himalayas. It has a pungent smell, and adds a sour and smoky flavor to the chaat masala.
• Chaat Masala – Chaat masala is a special spice blend used in many Chaat or street food dishes. It is tangy, a little spicy, and super addictive. You can make your own or use a store-bought version!
• Hing – Asafoetida – is a powdered spice used in many Indian dishes to add a powerful umami-like flavor.
• Golgappas – You can buy the ready-made puris from the grocery store. Nowadays, you get the ready-made dry puri, and you can fry or air fry, following the instructions on the package.

Pani Puri Topping Ideas

Typically, pani puri has a few different toppings. You can use all of them to offer variety or just 1 or 2 you have on hand for convenience.

• Chickpeas – boil the chickpeas beforehand or use canned chickpeas for convenience.
• Boondi – these deep-fried pearls are made with gram flour or chickpea flour. They are easily found at many South Asian grocery stores, or you can make them at home if you prefer.
• Sprouted mung beans
• Boiled black chickpeas or kala chana
• Khajur Imli (Date and tamarind) chutney – we usually make a large batch, but you can use a store-bought version for convenience.

How to make Pani Puri?

Paani (Flavored Water)

Add chopped green chili, mint leaves, cumin powder, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water to a blender. Blend until smooth in a blender.

Add the paste and the remaining ingredients in a big bowl, and add 3 cups of water. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your preference.

Tip: Make sure it’s cold/chilled, as it will taste better

Assembling Pani Puri

Prepare your golgappas based on the packaged directions.

You can buy the ready-made puris from the grocery store. Nowadays, you get the ready-made dry puri, and you can fry or air fry, following the instructions on the package.

You can use all of only one or a combination of whatever you prefer

Crack the puri in the center. Be gentle. You don’t want to break the puri; just make a hole in the center and add the filling. You can use a combo or just one. Now add the date and tamarind chutney if using, and dip the puri in the paani (water) or use a spoon to fill the puri.

Enjoy each pani puri immediately after you fill it!

Recipe Tips

• Make sure to chill the paani or water for the pani puri once you make it.
• You can prepare the ingredients for pani puri in advance (such as the water and toppings).
• Pani puri, once assembled, should be eaten as soon as you fill it. The water starts to soak into the puri right away!
• If serving this for a party, add the toppings to each golgappas and let your guests add the water themselves.

What to serve with Pani Puri?

Pani puri is a delicious stand-alone snack or appetizer.

If you are looking for additional appetizers to serve along with Pani Puri, here are some of our favorites:

• Batata Vada
• Dahi Vada: Lentil Fritters in Yogurt
• Fruit Chaat – Pakistani Fruit Salad
• Corn Bhel: Easy Corn Chaat Salad

If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess