GOL GAPPE

This popular street food doesn't need any introduction. Potato, onion, chickpeas, coriander chutney stuffed crispy puri drenched in sour and spicy mint flavored water easily fills one's mouth and takes taste buds on a journey of heaven and it is no wonder that it's a popular street snack along the length and breadth of India and known as gol gappa, puchka, pani puri etc. Preparing pudina wala pani and masala for panipuri at home is not only a healthier way of enjoying it but also allows you to customize it the way you like it.

It is very simple to assemble and one can easily find puffed puri at any grocery store or prepare at home with this recipe.

street-style gol gappe

Cuisine          :     Indian
Course              :     Snacks
Prep time      :     20 mins
Cook time     :     15 mins
Serves            :    4 serving

Ingredients

Measuring cup used, 1 cup= 250 ml

For pani puri

• 1 cup fine unroasted sooji
• 3 to 4 pinches of baking soda
• 1 tbsp all pupose flour (maida)
• 6 tbsp water or as required
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, take 1 cup fine unroasted sooji, 1 tsp oil, 3 to 4 pinches baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt. With your fingers, mix the oil evenly with the sooji.
2. Now, add 1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour to this mixture.
3. Mix again very well so that all purpose flour is mixed evenly.
4. Add 3 tbsp water first, mix again. Then add 1 tbsp water more and begin to knead the dough sooji absorbs water while kneading. Add water in parts while kneading.
5. Then, add 2 tbsp more of the water and continue to knead. The kneading is very important in getting the perfect pani poori mixture. The dough is not soft nor too hard. If you make the dough soft, then add 1 to 3 tsp more of the sooji. If the dough looks hard, then sprinkle some water and continue to knead.
6. Pani puri dough should be elastic, gluten strands need to be formed, which gives a structure and shape to the pooris. The correct texture of the dough, also helps in puffing pooris and helps them in staying crisps.  Knead very well. Elasticity helps in rolling the dough without any cracks and thinly. When rolling, the dough should roll easily without any cracks.
7. Knead to a semi-soft elastic dough and keep it in a bowl or pan.
8. Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
9. After 30 min, knead the dough again.
10. Now, divide the dough into two or three parts. Take one part on your work surface and begin to roll. Avoid adding any dry flour while kneading. Keep the remaining dough covered with the moist kitchen towel.
11. Roll to a large round, there should be no cracks in the rolled dough, you can flip the entire rolled dough without breaking or tearing apart.
12. Keep on rolling to a thin and even round. The pooris have to be thinly rolled. If not thin, the base becomes thick and remains soft even after frying. If the dough is not rolled evenly, then the pooris won't puff up.
13. With a cookie cutter or a small bowl, cut small to medium discs from rolled dough.
14. Remove the dough edges and place small roundels in a  without them touching each other. Keep these covered with a moist kitchen towel. Make pooris the same way and heat oil for deep frying.
15. Oil should be medium hot, slid a few pooris in the oil. They will puff up quickly as soon as you add them to the hot oil. Continue to fry till light golden.
16. Drain them on paper towel.
17. Once they get cooled at room temperature, immediately add them to a jar or box, close the lid tightly.

For paani

• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilli, chopped
• 1/2 inch pieces of ginger
• 1/2 medium size lemon
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp chaat masala powder
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• 4 tbsp boondi, optional
• salt to taste
• Bhuna jeera
• Jaggery (gud)
• Imli
• Hing

Instructions

1. Rinse coriander and mint leaves in water and take all the ingredients of paani.
2. Add mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli, ginger and lemon juice ( lemon juice is added while grinding to prevent mint leaves from turning dark ) in the small chutney jar of a grinder.
3. Grind until smooth paste ( if required add 1/4 cup water while grinding )
4. Transfer them to a large bowl and add sugar, chaat masala powder, black salt and 4 cups water. Stir with a spoon and mix properly. Taste for the salt and add if required. Pani is ready, for better taste, place it in refrigerator before serving. Mix boondi too.

For masala

• 1.5 cups boiled, peeled and mashed potato
• 1/2 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala powder
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Take mashed potato, kala chana, red chilli powder, cumin-coriander powder, chaat masala powder, coriander leaves and salt.
2. Mix them together with a spoon . Masala is ready.

Assemble pani-puri

1. Take each puri and gently make a large hole on its top-middle side with a spoon for stuffing.
2. Stuff  it with masala , drizzle a drop of date tamarind chutney over it. Take pani-puri water in a medium bowl. Dip each puri in water and enjoy.

Note: Prepare the paani in advance (2-3 hrs ahead) and place it in refrigerator to enhance the flavor. Take it out of refrigerator just before serving.

Let me know how you find it, if you try it sometime. you may leave your suggestions for any interesting additions.

Keep Cooking"

-CM