puri for golgappa or pani puri

puri recipe for pani puri or golgappa with step by step photos – pani puri, as i call this awesome snack has always been a favorite since childhood. i remember me and my folks having pani poori from the pani puri wallah on the streets of mumbai many a times.

i have even seen how the puris are made in bulk and then sold. while as a kid, i used to think, how come the puri puffs so much and stays crisp. there was a family, close to my house who used to make these puris in bulk, pack them and then supply them to grocery stores.

we are fond of these crisp puris, that most of the times we just have them plain. i have made these pooris many times. hence, i have updated this post with better pics and a lot of tips.

i was getting many comments that the pani puri becomes soft after cooling down. when i make them, i never had this issue. i reasoned, that this problem is because the dough was not kneaded well and the poori roundels being thick. previously i has just mentioned to knead the dough well. but not emphasized that the dough also need to have elasticity in it. hence updated this post.

i must say its easier to get a packet of ready made puris than to make them. its does take an effort to make these pooris. so prepare them, when you are free from any work. the perks of making puris at home is that fresh oil and ingredients are used to make the puri. plus no additives or preservatives are added and you know what goes into them. also they do taste better than the store brought ones.

these pani puris can be made in large numbers and stored in an airtight container. this recipe yields 50 to 60 pooris.  you could use the puris later to make pani puri, ragda puri, dahi sev puri or dahi batata puri, just crumble and top it up on ragda patties, dahi papdi chaat, aloo chaat, sev puri, bhel puri or just have it plain.

lets start step by step puri recipe for pani puri:

1. in a mixing bowl, take 1 cup fine unroasted sooji or rava or semolina (160 grams), 1 tsp oil, 3 to 4 pinches of baking soda and ¼ tsp salt.

2. with your fingers, mix the oil evenly with the sooji.

3. here’s the evenly mixed oil, sooji and salt mixture.

4. now add 1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour to this mixture.

5. mix again very well so that the all purpose flour is mixed evenly.

6. add 3 tbsp water first.

7. mix again.

7. then add 1 tbsp water more and begin to knead the dough. sooji absorbs water while kneading. hence add water in parts while kneading. then add 2 tbsp more of the water and continue to knead. i added 6 tbsp of water. depending on the quality of sooji, you may need to add a bit less or more. the kneading is very important in getting the perfect pani poori texture. 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 add sprinkle some water and continue to knead.

8. the pani puri dough should be elastic. gluten strands need to be formed, which gives structure and shape to the pooris. the correct texture of the dough, also help in puffing pooris and helps in them staying crisp. knead very well.  elasticity helps in rolling dough without an cracks and thinly. when rolling, the dough should roll easily without any cracks. you should be easily be able to lift the rolled dough without it tearing or breaking and falling apart.

9.  knead to a semi soft elastic dough.

10. keep the well kneaded in a bowl or pan.

12. cover with a moist kitchen towel or napkin and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

13. here’s the dough after 30 minutes.

14. knead again.

15. 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 parts of the dough covered with the moist kitchen towel.

16. roll to a large round. you see there are no cracks in the rolled dough and the dough has a good elasticity. you can flip the entire rolled dough without it breaking or tearing apart.

17. 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.

18. with a cookie cutter or a small bowl, cut small to medium discs from the rolled dough. using a cookie cutter gives even shape and size to the pooris. you can also make small balls and roll them. but then the pooris won’t have an even and uniform shape.

19. remove the dough edges and place the small roundels in a plate without them touching each other. keep these pooris covered with a moist kitchen towel. collect the edges and knead them lightly. roll the edges too and make pooris the same way. in this way make all the pooris and keep them covered in a moist kitchen towel. you can also roll them and fry simultaneously like i have done.

20. heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. the oil should be medium hot. add a tiny piece of the dough ball in the hot oil. if the ball steadily comes up to the surface, the oil is hot and the pooris can be fried now.