Gluten-free Indian Pani-Puri

Panipuri is a common street snack in several regions of the Indian subcontinent. In East India, it is misidentified with Phuchhka which is very different from Panipuri.The Puchhka (also called so in Bangladesh) differs greatly in terms of content and taste. Puchkas use a mixture of boiled gram and mashed potatoes as the filling and is tangy rather than sweetish while the water is sour and spicy. Puchkas are also slightly bigger in size and the puris are darker in colour. In North India, it is called Golgappa, In madhaya pradesh It is called Fulki, In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana its is called as Pani Puri While in Odisha it is known as GupChup . It consists of a round, hollow puri,, fried crisp and filled with a mixture of flavored water, sweet chutney, chill, chaat masala, potato, onion and chickpeas.

Generally puris are made from all purpose flour or whole wheat flour but here to make Glutrn-free puri, have used soya chunks flour and rice flour which is making my dish completely Gluten-free!

To Make Mint Coriander Spicy Water (Tikha Pani):

• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Water
• 1 tbsp boondi
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp pani puri masala
• 1 tsp black salt

Dry masala:

• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon
• 5-6 black peppers
• 2-3 green chillies
• 1 star anise

To Make Sweet Water (Meetha Pani)

• 1 cup dates, deseeded
• 1/2 medium sized tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 cup jaggery
• 1 tbsp dry mango powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Water

To Make Stuffing (masala):

• 1 cup black chickpeas, boiled and dried
• 1 cup green gram, boiled and dried
• 2 medium sized boiled and mashed raw bananas
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp pani puri masala
• Pinch of chaat masala
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• Salt to taste

To Make puri:

• 1/2 cup soya chunks
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• Water to make tight dough
• Oil to deep fry

Other Ingredients:

• Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Nylon sev

In a mixing jar first add all the ingredients listed in 'To Make Dry Masala' and grind it well.

Now, wash mint and coriander leaves into running water and add into mixing jar with salt, lemon juice and some water and make grind it well to form puree consistency mixture.

The spicy green water is ready, now add black salt, chaat masala, pani puri masala, boondi and more water into it and mix it well.

Place your spicy water into refrigerator for half an hour or until it becomes chilled!

In a medium sized sauce pan, add dates, chopped tomato and jaggery with 1 glass of water and allow it to be boiled for 10-15 mins.

Once dates seem to be cooked, switch off the flame and let it be cooled down at room temperature.

Now grind properly with some water.

Strain it and then add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and dry mango powder into it and place it into refrigerator for 15-20 mins.

1. Soak black chickpeas and green green gram for 2 hours and pressure cook it along with raw bananas till 3 whistles are done.
2. Once pressure cooked, remove from the heat and allow it to be cooled down at room temperature.

Mash the raw bananas, add boiled black gram and green gram with other dry masala and mix it well.

Your stuffing is ready, place it into refrigerator before serving.

First grind the soya chunks into mixer to make powder out of it.

In a medium sized bowl, add soya chunks powder with rice flour, salt and oil and mix it well.

Add water slowly to make tight dough.

Divide the dough into small equal portions and roll them in oval or circle shape very carefully.

Points to remember before frying :

• Always ensure that the oil is hot before frying otherwise the puris will soak in excess oil and will not puff. Put a small testing puri. If it comes up fast then the oil is rightly hot.
• Also the oil should not be smoking hot or the puris will get burnt and dark.

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan or kadai and put 3 - 4 puris in the kadai and fry them with the help of a slotted spoon.While frying, press them in the center allow them to puff up. We want a pocket in each and every puri.

Now flip them over and let them cook.

Take them out on a kitchen towel when they are light brown and crisp. Don't let them get dark in color.Let them cool. Later store in an airtight container.

Make a small hole on a puri by tapping slowly on the crisp side. Fill some stuffing in the centre along with some chilled green water, chilled sweet water prepared earlier. Stir the pani before using to mix all the masalas.Enjoy homemade Gluten-free pani puri or golgappa or puchkas...