Pani Puri

Have you ever heard of pani puri?

Pani puri is a popular bite-sized street snack sold by vendors across India, but is also enjoyed in many Indian homes. Crispy deep-fried spheres called puris are tapped open slightly before being filled with a savoury filling and chutney, then quickly dunked in a flavoured water (pani) before being devoured in one mouthful while still crisp. Sometimes sev (a crumbled vermicelli type product) is also sprinkled over the puris before they are eaten.

There are as may variations of pani puri as there are regions of India. People go mad for pani puri in India! I myself have never had it from street vendors in India due to health precautions whilst travelling, however, I have had the pleasure of enjoying it at home with My Ladybird's family on a few occasions. I think this is how it's enjoyed best - a big group of people sitting around the table chatting and busily tapping away at the puris, filling them one by one, devouring them one after the other... I myself can only manage around 10 at the most, but others (*ahem* Mr Ladybird) can just keep going and going!

As Mr Ladybird's family hail from Gujarat, they typically enjoy pani puri in the Gujarati style. I took some pictures of a recent pani puri get together to share with you all. So this is not a recipe post as such, but more of a show and tell, if I may :)

Here are the small puri I mentioned...

And here are the key fillings. At the front - a tangy mixture of cooked potato and boiled dark chickpeas tossed through a spice mixture. To the left, the sweet chutney made from dried mango. And to the back, the wonderfully green water made with loads of fresh mint, fresh coriander and a few other secret ingredients.

Here, my mum-in-law demonstrates how you put each puri together. Here she fills the puri with the potato/chickpea mixture, followed by the chutney...

The pani is then quickly spooned over (or you can dunk it directly into the water)... and down the hatch!

Keen to check out a pani puri recipe? As a starting point, check out this link:

http://www.tarladalal.com/Pani-Puri-2806r

Finally, a quick GIVEAWAY REMINDER for you all. My latest Bakers Delight giveaway is closing this Friday, June 24 so don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of five $5 Bakers Delight vouchers. To enter, click here and follow the instructions: http://diaryofaladybird.blogspot.com/2011/06/flavoured-scones-bakers-delight.html

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on my recent trip to the beautiful Byron Bay - there will also be more giveaways to be won! Oh, how I love giveaways :)

Ladybird x