Pani Puri Recipe | Mumbai Style Ragda Pani Puri

'Pani Puri' is the one of the most popular Chaats in India and does not need any introduction. It is the King of Chaats in my opinion and is my most favorite chaat with out any doubt. It is also known as 'Golgappa' in North and 'Puchka' in Calcutta and 'Pani Puri' in the rest of India. The debate between all these versions about which one tastes better than the other is never ending - either Mumbaiyya Pani puri or Delhi Golgappe or Kolkata Puchka, I do not bother much about which version it is as I absolutely love Pani puri and thoroughly enjoy all the versions. Every version differs from the other in the proportions of the ingredients used to make pani and also the fillings used which makes each version taste different from the other.

In Delhi style Golgappa the filling is mainly steamed moong sprouts with a combination of mashed potatoes and soft boondi(soaked in water and squeezed) or even soft cooked white chickpeas with potato.Where as in Puchka, the filling is with kala chana and potato combination and is totally spiced up with the bhaja masala,which plays a major role in bringing out the key flavors.In Mumbai style Pani Puri the filling used is ragda,which is softly cooked white peas and more over the filling used in Mumbai Pani puri is HOT unlike the other versions.

Many of my North Indian friends complain that they do not like the idea of using hot ragda in pani puri which is Mumbai version and they always say that they love their Delhi style Golgappa. But as I am from south, I am used to eat pani puris in Bangalore and other places where the filling used is made up of hot gravied green peas. Hence I did not find the usage of hot ragada in pani puri strange and I totally enjoy it. But if you ask me -which version of Pani Puri I love the most? - I would definitely opt between 'Puchka' and 'Bangarpet style Pani Puri'. It is a really a tough one to choose between both these versions. For those who are hearing for the first time about 'Bangarpet Pani Puri', let me tell you a bit about it.Unlike the deep green or brown colored pani, this version of pani used in Bangarpet pani puri is a flavored and spiced up water which is transparent and almost looks like water and the filling used is hot gravied green peas and potatoes.The process of preparation of Bangarpet pani is totally different, it is an infused version unlike the other versions.I have already posted the recipe for Bangarpet Pani Puri, if you are interested check out more details- click here.

With out any further delay let us see how to prepare Mumbai style Pani Puri at home.

If you are interested check out other versions of Pani puri here:

• Delhi style Golgappa
• Bangarpet Pani Puri

Mumbai style Ragda Pani Puri Recipe:

Serves 2-3

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:15 mins | Total time:25 mins + chilling time

Cuisine: Indian | Category: Chaats

Ingredients:

24 homemade Pani puris (or store bought)

1 small Onion,finely chopped(optional)

1-2 tbsp. Coriander leaves,chopped

for ragda:

1/2 cup White peas

1/4 tsp Kala namak(black salt)

1/4 tsp Roasted Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Chaat masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

a pinch of Asafoetida(hing,optional)

1/2 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

for pani:

3/4 cup Mint leaves

1/3 cup Coriander leaves

2 small Green chillies

1/2" Ginger,chopped

1 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp Lemon juice

2 tsp Panipuri masala(I use Everest brand)

3/4 tsp roasted Cumin powder

3/4 tsp Kala namak(black salt)

1/2 tsp Chaat masala

Salt to taste

3-4 tbsp. Meetha Chutney/Sweet Chutney

4-5 cups of water

Method:

for ragda:

• Wash and soak white peas for 5-6 hrs or overnight. Wash and drain again and add fresh water and pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer it for 5-6 mins. White peas really cook fast and it is better if you simmer it after the first whistle otherwise it will become really mushy.
• Heat oil in a pan/kadai and add asafoetida and then add cooked white peas, salt, turmeric powder and roasted cumin powder and simmer it for 5-6 mins until the mixture is thick. Ragda thickens gradually when it sits,do not make it very thin(runny) or dry.Ragda should be thick and slightly runny.
• Add kala namak and chaat masala and mix well. Keep it HOT until you serve pani puri.

for pani:

• Grind mint leaves and coriander leaves with ginger, green chilles, salt, sugar, lemon juice, chaat masala, cumin powder and black salt(kala namak) to a fine paste.
• Reserve half the paste aside and mix the rest of the ground chutney with 4 cups of water and mix nicely. You can store the left over green chutney and use it for other chaats or freeze it for later use.
• Add 3-4 tbsp. of Meetha(sweet) chutney and pani puri masala and mix well. Now taste the water and adjust the pani taste according to your wish by adding either extra sweet chutney or ground mint chutney or pani puri masala or more water. If you balance the pani right the pani puri tastes more delicious. It should be slightly chatpata but well balanced with flavors. Remember that the ragda is slightly bland and also we do not serve Meetha chutney along, so balance the flavors accordingly. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and chill it for 3-4 hrs until the flavours are blended well. Keep the pani COLD until serving. 

 to serve Ragda Pani Puri:

• Arrange 8 puris in a plate with some ragda ,onion-coriander mixture aside and a bowl of pani.
• Make holes in the puris and stuff it with 1 tbsp. hot ragda and top it with onion-coriander mixture and dip it in cold pani and enjoy!!

 Notes:

• I strongly suggest to use Meetha chutney in the pani recipe as it elevates the taste of pani puri to a different extent. In case if you do not have Meetha chutney soak a gooseberry sized tamarind in 1/4 cup of water and extract pulp. Simmer it along with 4-5 tbsp. of sugar or Jaggery until it is thick and let it cool completely before you use it. Though you can use the tamarind mixture mixed with sugar directly, I suggest you to simmer the tamarind-sugar(jaggery) mixture which tastes better than just the plain tamarind-sugar mixture.
• If you do not have pani puri masala in hand you can even use jaljeera powder instead. If you do not have both you can increase the quantity of chaat masala in the recipe.
• This Ragda puri tastes best when the ragda is served hot and the pani is served chilled.
• The usage of onions is entirely optional, I add it sometimes and skip sometimes.
• You can slightly spice up the ragda by adding 1/2 tsp red chili powder to it while it is simmering.
• If you like you can even add boiled and slightly mashed potato to the ragda mixture.

If you love chaats, check out few other chaat recipes here in my blog:

• Aloo Chana Chaat
• Bhel Poori-Sookha waala
• Canape Sev Poori
• Dahi Bhalla
• Dahi Puri
• Pav Bhaji
• Ragada Patties

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