Puchka (Crispy Potato Pani Puri)
Hollow crispy shells filled with spiced potatoes, chickpeas, and tangy tamarind water. A beloved Indian street snack that's crunchy, refreshing, and bursting with flavor in every bite.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 185
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 2 medium (about 1 cup) boiled potatoes, peeled
- ¾ cup canned chickpeas, drained
- 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 shells crispy puri shells (store-bought)
Instructions
- 1
Cut each boiled potato into 1/4-inch cubes—small enough to fit inside a puri shell. Place the cubes in a small bowl.
- 2
Pour the tamarind paste into a measuring cup and add 1 cup of water; stir until the paste is completely dissolved and the liquid is dark brown and thin, about 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the cumin powder, cayenne pepper, and chickpeas to the potato cubes; stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
- 4
Hold one puri shell carefully in your hand and gently poke a hole in the top with your thumb, making an opening about the size of a fingertip.
- 5
Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the potato-chickpea mixture into the opening of the puri shell, filling it so the mixture is just visible at the top.
- 6
Set the filled puri on a serving plate, opening facing upward; repeat with remaining shells and filling until you have 12 filled puris.
- 7
Place a small cup or bowl of tamarind water on the plate next to the puris; diners will pop each puri in their mouth, bite off the bottom, and sip the tamarind water through the hole.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- paring knife
- 2 small bowls
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- spoon for stirring
- serving plate
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