Air-Fried Pani Puri: A Healthy Twist On Street Food

Pani Puri, also known as Gol Gappa, Puchka, Gup Chup, or Pani ke Patashe, is a popular Indian street food. It consists of crispy, hollow puris filled with a tangy and spicy mixture of potatoes and chickpeas, and is traditionally deep-fried. However, it is possible to make this delicious snack in an air fryer, reducing the amount of oil required and making it a healthier option. This paragraph introduces the topic of making Pani Puri in an air fryer, a healthier twist on a classic dish.

Pani Puri ingredients and preparation

Pani Puri is a popular Indian street food consisting of hollow, crispy, fried dough balls (puri) stuffed with a variety of fillings and sauces. The puris are usually filled with boiled potatoes, steamed moong sprouts, boiled chickpeas, or white peas curry (ragda). The dish is served with two types of sauces: a spicy, tangy, and sometimes sweet pani (water), and a sweet chutney.

Ingredients for the Pani (Water)

• Coriander leaves
• Mint leaves
• Ginger
• Green chillies
• Tamarind paste or lemon juice
• Jaggery or sugar
• Roasted cumin powder
• Chaat masala powder
• Black pepper powder
• Black salt (Kala namak)
• Water
• Boondi (optional)

Ingredients for the Potato Filling

• Boiled potatoes
• Boiled chickpeas (optional)
• Boiled moong sprouts (optional)
• Finely chopped onion (optional)
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Red chilli powder
• Roasted cumin powder
• Chaat masala powder
• Black salt or regular salt

Ingredients for the Sweet Tamarind Chutney

• Tamarind
• Jaggery or sugar
• Dates (optional)

Ingredients for the Puri

• Ready-to-fry puri pellets
• Oil (optional)

Preparation

The preparation of Pani Puri can be divided into four parts: prep work, making the puri, making the stuffing, and making the pani.

Prep Work

If making sprouted moong stuffing, start prepping two days before. Follow a recipe for moong sprouts. On the day of serving, boil the moong sprouts.

If making kala chana stuffing, start prepping one day before. Rinse and soak the chana for at least 8 hours or overnight. Boil the chickpeas in a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.

On the same day, boil the potatoes in an instant pot or pressure cooker until soft. Peel and roughly mash them.

Making the Puri

• Take the required amount of puri pellets and drizzle a teaspoon of oil. Mix and coat all of them with oil.
• Preheat the air fryer to 350°F or 360°F for 3 minutes.
• Arrange the puris in a single layer in the air fryer.
• Air fry for 1 ½ - 2 minutes. The puris will puff up and become crispy.
• Remove the puris and set them aside.
• Repeat the process for the remaining puris, preheating the air fryer after every 2 batches.

Making the Potato Filling

• Take mashed potato, boiled chickpeas, salt, ready masala, and cilantro in a bowl.
• Mix well and keep it aside.

Making the Pani (Water)

• Add mint leaves, cilantro, ginger, green chilli, ready masala, black pepper, black salt, salt, and 1 cup of water to a grinder jar.
• Grind into a smooth puree.
• Add the puree to a bowl or pitcher and stir in the remaining water.
• Freshly squeeze lemon juice into the mixture, or add tamarind paste and jaggery or sugar.
• Mix well and adjust the salt and lemon juice or tamarind-jaggery mixture as needed.
• For a sweeter pani, add some tamarind chutney to the spicy pani.

Assembly

• Create a hole in the centre of the puri by breaking the top layer.
• Add 1-2 teaspoons of the potato filling.
• Add some chopped onion on top.
• Fill the puri with your choice of pani.
• Eat immediately before the puri gets soft and soggy.

Air fryer settings for making Pani Puri

Pani Puri is a beloved Indian street food. It is a dish that features crispy, hollow puris filled with a tangy and spicy mixture. Traditionally, Pani Puri is deep-fried, but you can also make this delicious snack in an air fryer. Here are the air fryer settings and step-by-step instructions to make perfect Pani Puri at home.

Air Fryer Settings

• Preheat your air fryer to 350-370°F (180°C). The ideal temperature may vary slightly depending on your air fryer model, but this temperature range should be suitable for most.
• Preheat for at least 2-3 minutes, but no longer than 7 minutes. This ensures even cooking and helps the puris puff up and become crispy.
• If your air fryer prompts you to add food once it reaches the desired temperature, follow that prompt. Otherwise, manually preheat for the recommended time.
• After frying 2-3 batches of puris, allow the air fryer to preheat again until it reaches the desired temperature before adding more puris.

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Preparing the stuffing: Boil 2 medium-sized potatoes until soft, then peel and mash them in a bowl. Add 1 cup of boiled chickpeas to the mashed potatoes and mix well. This mixture will be used as the filling for the Pani Puri.
• Preparing the crispy puris: You can use store-bought puri shells or make them at home. If making them at home, follow these steps:

• In a bowl, mix 1 cup of semolina with ¼ cup of all-purpose flour.
• Slowly add water and knead the mixture into a smooth dough.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into small portions and roll them into thin circles.

• Air-frying the puris: Place the rolled puris in the air fryer basket. You can brush or spray them with a light coating of oil beforehand for extra crispness and flavour. Air fry the puris at 350-370°F (180°C) for 2-8 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they turn golden brown and crispy.
• Assembling the Pani Puri: Take a puri and make a small hole in the centre using your thumb or a spoon. Place a spoonful of the potato-chickpea mixture inside the puri. You can also add other fillings like boiled moong beans, grated carrots, or sprouts.
• Garnishing and serving: Garnish your Pani Puri with sev (thin crispy noodles), chopped onions, and fresh coriander leaves. Sprinkle some chaat masala on top for extra flavour. You can also add pomegranate seeds or nylon sev for added texture.

Tips for Best Results

• Preheat the air fryer each time before adding a new batch of puris.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Arrange the puris in a single layer, leaving space for the hot air to circulate.
• Applying oil to the puris is optional. It adds shine and a slight darkening of colour, but it doesn't make a noticeable difference in taste.
• If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add a pinch of sugar to the tamarind chutney used in the filling.
• For a unique twist, experiment with flavoured puris like spinach or beetroot puris.

How to make the stuffing for Pani Puri

To make the stuffing for Pani Puri, you will need boiled and mashed potatoes and boiled chickpeas. Start by boiling two medium-sized potatoes until they are soft. Once boiled, peel and mash them in a bowl. Then, add the boiled chickpeas to the mashed potatoes and mix well. This mixture will be used as the filling for the Pani Puri.

You can also experiment with the stuffing by adding different ingredients such as boiled moong beans, grated carrots, or sprouts. For a more authentic experience, you can also add some boiled black or white chickpeas to the potato mixture.

If you want to make a larger batch of stuffing, simply increase the quantities of the ingredients accordingly.

How to make the crispy puris

Ingredients:

• 1 cup atta or whole-wheat flour (sifted)
• 1 tablespoon oil (any oil)
• ½ teaspoon salt or salt to taste
• ¼ cup warm water or as needed to knead the dough
• 1 cup semolina (sooji)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (maida)

Method:

• Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and mix well.
• Add oil and mix well. Break up any lumps by rubbing the flour between your palms.
• Gradually add warm water and knead the mixture into a soft, stretchy dough.
• Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C) for 7 minutes.
• Clean the air fryer basket and line it with parchment paper.
• Divide the dough into small balls and roll them into thin, disc-shaped tortillas or rotis. Use a round cookie cutter to cut small discs from the tortillas/rotis.
• Place the discs on the air fryer basket.
• Cook for 3 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes. The puris will puff up and turn brown around the edges.
• Transfer the puris to a cooling rack.

Tips:

• If you are using store-bought ready-to-cook pani puri pellets, you can skip the above dough preparation steps. Simply brush the pellets with oil and air fry for 2 minutes.
• It is important to preheat the air fryer after every 2-3 batches of puris.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Arrange the puris in a single layer.
• Applying oil to the puris is optional. Oil will give the puris a nice shine and a slightly darker colour.
• If you are making the puris from scratch, you can experiment with different types of dough: whole wheat with a little oil and salt; pure semolina dough with salt and warm water; or wheat flour, semolina, tapioca starch, and baking soda with salt.

How to assemble the Pani Puri

To assemble the Pani Puri, start by taking a puri and poking a hole in it using your thumb or a spoon. Be gentle to avoid breaking the puri. Next, fill the puri with the potato-chickpea mixture, leaving room for the pani (water). You can also add other ingredients such as onion, coriander leaves, sev, boondi, pani puri masala pani, mint chutney, and tamarind-dates chutney.

After stuffing the puri, drizzle some tamarind chutney and mint-coriander chutney over the stuffing. Then, dip the puri into the spicy pani (water) and place it on a serving plate. Repeat this process for the remaining puris.

For an extra crunch and flavour, garnish your Pani Puri with sev (thin crispy noodles), chopped onions, and fresh coriander leaves. Sprinkle some chaat masala on top for an extra zing. You can also get creative with other garnishes like pomegranate seeds or nylon sev for added texture.

Finally, serve the Pani Puri immediately. Once you've dipped your Pani Puri, quickly pop the whole thing into your mouth and enjoy the explosion of flavours and textures!

Frequently asked questions