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:-
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- To serve, fill each crisp puri with a little ragda, then fill it up with the spicy water and relish the paani puri.