Puri (Golgappa)

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 Pak & India 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.

I am so fond of these crisp puris, that i can just have them plain. This is the second time I made these puris at home. They came out well both the times. I must say its easier to get a packet of readymade puris than to make them. Its an effort on your side to make these pooris. But nevertheless atleast you know that fresh oil and ingredients are used to make the poori in a clean and hygienic way. Its difficult to know how the readymade puris are made… which oil they use, is it hygienically done, etc.

These pani puris can be made in large numbers and stored in an airtight container. You could use the puris later to make pani puri, ragda puri, dahi sev puri or dahi batata(potato) puri, just crumble and top it up on ragda patties, dahi papdi chaat, aloo chaat, sev puri, bhel puri or just have it plain.

I had actually made the pani and ragda for the pani puri…….. typical Pak & India style of having pani puri. You can have boiled moong sprouts, chana and potatoes instead of ragda. But try for once having the pani puri with ragda. It has a different flavor and taste. Tastes do differ and I know some people who prefer boiled sprouted moong as the masala for pani puri instead of ragda. But one can always experiment with one’s taste and liking.

Ingredients for the Puri – Golgappa:

• 1 cup semolina (suji/rava)
• 2-3 tbsp maida (all purpose flour)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• salt
• oil for frying
• water to knead the dough

Method to make the Golgappa – Puri: 

1. Add all the dry ingredients for the puri in parat or large bowl.
   
   
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients for the puri. Add little water at a time and form a stiff dough.
   
   
   
   
3. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.
   
   
4. After 20-30 mins, remove the wet cloth and knead the dough again.
   
   
5. Dust the rolling board with some flour. Take a medium sized ball from the dough on the rolling board and roll out the dough thinly into a large circle.
   
   
6. With a 2 inch biscuit cutter or vati (small bowl), cut out the round discs from the rolled dough.
   
   
7. Cut out round puris from the entire rolled dough.
   
   
8. Arrange the cut out puris on a thali or parat. Keep the cut round discs covered under a wet cloth.
   
   
9. Complete making round discs from the dough in this manner.
   
   
10. Alternatively, you could take a very small size ball, around half an inch from the dough
    
    
11. And roll it into thin circles of 2 inch diameter.
12. 
13. Make the puris, using whichever method suits you. I prefer the method of cutting out the discs rather than rolling the puris separately.
14. Keep all the cut out discs covered with a damp cloth.
15. Heat oil in a kadai. When the oil becomes hot, slip one puri in the oil.
    
    
16. The puri will immediately puff and become golden brown. Apply a little pressure with a slotted spoon so as to help the puri puff up, if it is not puffing up.
17. Turn the puri with a slotted spoon, so that the otherside gets cooked. In the below picture, the puri was happily moving in the oil in circles making it difficult to capture a shot.
    
    
18. Here is another shot of the happily moving puffed puri.
    
    
19. Turn once more if you want to brown the puris more.
20. Remove and drain the puris on a kitchen tissue.
    
    
21. When cooled, store the puris in an airtight container. While making pani puri, remove the puris from the container and serve with pani, ragda or boiled potatoes, sprouted moong and chana.
    
    

A Few Tips:

• Always cover the dough with a damp cloth even while rolling the puris. If the dough becomes dry, you will not be able to roll the dough easily.
• Ensure that all the puris are covered with a damp cloth. If the puris become dry, then the puris will not puff up.
• The above tips comes from experience. Just before frying remove the damp cloth.
• You could fry the puri one at a time. Or fry one puri, when its almost done, add the second one and so on.
• Do not add oil to the dough while kneading as the puris will become soft soon as they cool.
• Maida or refined/all purpose flour is used for binding the dough. If the dough is not binding well, then you could add a few teaspoons more of maida.
• The puris have to be thin. If you do not roll them thinly, then the puris won’t puff up well.
• Fry the puris in a moderately hot oil. If the oil is not hot enough, the puris will absorb oil and become soaked in oil. Too hot oil, will burn the puris.