Recipe Description

One of the most popular street foods of India

Ingredients:-

• Vatana (dried white peas) – 1¼ cups
• Water – 3-4 cups
• Ground turmeric – ¼ teaspoon
• Asafetida – a pinch
• Table salt – to taste
• Chaat masala – 4 teaspoons
• Sweet date and tamarind chutney – 3-4 tablespoons
• Crisp puris (meant for paani puri) – 24 no
• To make spicy water
• Chopped fresh mint leaves – 1 cup
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves – 1 cup
• Green chiles, stemmed and broken – 5 no
• Water – 6 cups
• Table salt – ½ teaspoon
• Kala namak (rock salt) – 2 teaspoons
• Roasted cumin powder – 3 teaspoons
• Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons

Method:-

1. Place the dried peas in a deep bowl and wash thoroughly 2 to 3 times.  Drain and soak in the same bowl in 4 cups of water overnight. Drain in a colander.
2. Place a non stick deep pan on high heat and pour in 4 cups (800 ml) of water.  Add the turmeric, asafetida and salt.  When the water begins to boil add the drained soaked vatana.  When the water comes to a boil again, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 30-35 minutes or till the peas are soft.
3. Mash them slightly. Add chaat masala and sweet date and tamarind chutney and simmer for 10 minutes. This is called ragda.  Keep the ragda hot.
4. To make spicy water, place the fresh mint leaves, fresh cilantro leaves and chiles in a blender jar and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a large deep bowl, add 6 cups (1.2 liter) water, salt, black salt, roasted cumin powder and lemon juice. Stir to mix well, adjust the seasoning and keep it in the refrigerator to chill.
5. To serve, fill each crisp puri with a little ragda, then fill it up with the spicy water and relish the paani puri.