Pani- poori - "May-2010 " Indian Cooking Challenge - (Step by Step Method)

This post is for the Srivalli’s ICC (Indian Cooking Challenge –May2010). Finally, I made it. I am so happy that my all time favorite Pani- puri coming perfectly and this is the first time I am participating in the ICC Challenge. Thanks to Srivalli’s for choosing this item. So without further delay, here goes the recipe. I used the recipe given by srivalli.

For making Puri :

• Sooji (Semolina ) -1/2 cup
• Maida ( Plain Refined Flour) - 1/2 tbsp.
• Cooking Soda-  1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Oil for Frying

Method for making poori

• In a bowl take semolina, plain flour, Cooking Soda, salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and knead well to make a stiff dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal.
• Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest for 15 mins.
• Then pinch out very small balls and roll them into small circles.  or roll them like chapathi and cutter with a cookie cutter or any circle shape. i used a tin's lid . 
• Put the rolled out circles back under the muslin cloth while you are rolling the rest and before they can be fried.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, deep fry the puris
• The idea is to puff them and fry them till golden brown.
• Take them out and put them on kitchen paper towel, to get rid of the extra oil.
• Notes: Allow the puris to cool before storing them in an airtight container. Else they will become soggy.I kept them in oven for 15 min at 350degrees after frying so that they remain crispy. 

For Spicy Pani or Spicy Water :

• Chopped Mint Leaves -1 cups
• Chopped Coriander Leaves -1 tbsp.
• Tamarind -1/3 cup
• Green Chillies -2
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp.
• Kala Namak (Black Salt ) - 1 1/2 tsp.( pani taste comes with this ....really so tasty 
• Salt to taste

Method for making spicy water or Pani : 

• Extract pulp from the tamarind
• Add mint leaves, coriander, ginger, chillies and dry roasted cumin seed to the tamarind pulp. Add little water and blend to a smooth paste.
• Add salt and black rock salt to taste.
• Put it in the fridge to cool down.
• Add water as required.

For Filling

Potato Filling : 

•  Boiled Potato, finely chopped /mashed and mixed with salt and red chilli.

Lentil Filling : 

• Cooked Channa - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Chili powder -1/2 tsp
• Tuermic powder 
• Garam masala powder/Chat masala - 1/4 tsp 

Method:

• Cook the channa or peas till tender. Then drain and cook with the masala till aroma comes out.

For Red Tamarind Chutney:

• Tamarind /tamarind paste -1 cup( if it is tamarind paste take 1/2 cup and add little water to it)
• Jaggery -1/2 cup
• Sugar- 2 tbsp.
• Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted cumin powder- 1 tsp
• Kali Micrch (Black pepper) powder- 1/4 tsp.
• Cloves-2( original recipe calls for this , but i don't have this so i have not added)
• Warm water - 2 cups
• Oil -1 tsp.
• Salt to taste

Method for Red Tamarind Chutney: 

• Extract the pulp from tamarind. 
• In a pan dry roast the cumin seeds and the cloves. Pound them into coarse powder.
• To the tamarind pulp add jaggery, sugar, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, roasted cumin powder, cloves and salt.
• Put the mixture in a pan and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove from heat and let it cool down.
• This will tend to thicken up, so add warm water if it becomes too thick. 
• Once it cools, blend the contents in a blender to a smooth paste.

Assembling the Pani Puri / Gol Gappa

• Poke a small hole in the center of the Gole Gappa/ Puri
• Add a tsp of mashed boiled potato / Channa in the middle of the puri. Add a little of the red tamarind Chutney. Dip it in the spicy water / pour some spicy water in it
• Gulp it down.