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A crispy ball filled with potatoes, sweet peas, tangy chutneys and spicy waters. The first crunch fills your mouth with so many different flavours, their mixture so yummy that you can’t help but crave for more. Be it any hour of the day, Pani Puri is that one dish which one will seldom deny.
Pani Puri has also shaped cultural identities of states. With differences in names and ways of making it, every place has something different and unique to offer. With the base remaining the same, Pani Puri has modified itself as it travels through various regions of India, according to the local taste and preferred flavour. Here, we bring you the list of varieties of Pani Puris all over the country.
Pani Puri
The most popular name, this variety is found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Even though the name is shared by these places, each place has its own taste. In Maharashtra, thick white peas curry, boondi, tamarind or dates chutney and spicy pudina water is filled in the puri. Whereas Madhya Pradesh adds mashed potato instead of the ragda and no boondi in the water. In Gujarat, finely diced potatoes are added, with boiled moong to the mix of chutney and boondi in the water. In Bangalore, diced onions are commonly found in the pani puri.
Location : Kalyan Bhel (Pune), Radhika Best Panipuri (Gujarat), Gullu’s Chat (Bangalore).
Phulki
Pani puri is called Phulki in the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh. In Gujarat, is it often confused for the chatpatti. The preparation methods of this variant are the same as the standard pani puri, just the name differs, which is rarely used.
Location: Rajkumar Phulki (Uttar Pradesh)
Pakodi
Pani puri is referred to as pakodi in the interior parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The taste and preparation methods are similar, with considerable differences. Sev is added in good quantities at some places, whereas the sweet tamarind chutney is replaced by onions. Quite stuffed and spicy, the water is heavy on mint and green chillies, a perfect deviation from the sweet snacks.
Location: Santosh Dabeli and Pakodi Centre (Gujarat)
Gol Gappe
The word doesn’t take a second to remind us of North India. Common in New Delhi, Punjab, Jammu Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, every street and corner is filled up with these vendors. This delicious snacks is made from the mix of smacked potato and chickpea stuffing, chutney and very tangy water. Spicier than its other cousins, they are high on mint and lot of spices. The puris are extra crunchy as they are made from flour and semolina, leaving you wanting for more.
Location: Atul Chaat Corner (Delhi)
Patashi
A regular Gol Gappa with essential potato or gram fillings, this name is popular in parts of Central India, especially Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The buzzing lanes of Lucknow are filled with these patashi walas. The only way the Patashi differs from the Gol Gappa is the water used, which is less tangier and sweeter than the Gol Gappa water. During the summer, the water is made from the mangoes, giving it a seasonal touch.
Location: Royal café (Lucknow)
Paani ke Patashe
Literally meaning puris filled with tangy water, its main ingredients, this name is very common in the cities of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. With taste and preparation methods quite same as the Gol Gappe , this one is a little spicier.
Location: Jain Chat Corner (Haryana)
Padaka
Same as the Mumbai pani puri in terms of ingredients, taste and methods of preparation, it is a different name used in Aligarh and some parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Location: Kashi Chat Bhandar ( Uttar Pradesh)
Tikki
While for everyone, tikki is the name for potato patties, called Aloo Tikki, in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, it means pani puri. With all the things being the same as the normal pani puri, from the fillings, tangy chutney, diced onions and spicy waters, they only differ in size. These are smaller than the normal pani puris, like cute little plums.
Location : Dipali Pani Puri Centre (Hoshangabad)
Puchka
It is the term used for pani puri in West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar. One of the favourite street foods, they are pretty different from pani puris in terms of ingredients, taste and preparation. Puchkas are bigger in size and darker in colour, made from wheat flour. With boiled gram and smashed potatoes as filling, the chutney is more tangy than sweet and the water is super spicy. Some chaat vendors are experts in tweaking the flavours of the mashed potatoes according to individual choices.
Location : Puchkawala ( Kolkata), Ramdev Puchka Stall ( Assam)
Gup Chhup
Found in the parts of South Jharkhand, Hyderabad, Telangana and Chhattisgarh and Odisha, it is considered as a really light roadside snack in these regions. It is called so because of the interesting sound water makes when the puri breaks in your mouth, flooding it with spicy waters. Topped with green chillies and onions, the filling is of only chickpeas or white peas. As the potatoes are eliminated, it makes them really light to eat.
Location: Kundan Pani Puri (Jharkhand), Maharaja Chat ( Hyderabad)
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