If you are an Indian, then this little fried wheat/semolina ball filled with different kinds of sweet and spicy water, along with chutneys is bound to be on your list of anytime snacks. If you are visiting India, then it has to be your list of must-try street foods in India
Made in India, this little ball with its many variations is the king of street foods. Loved by one and all, the humble panipuri has been around since days of the Mahabharata. The word panipuri is so well used in our times that it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in March 2005.
Golgappa (also known as pani puri) is a popular bite-size chaat consisting of a hollow, crispy-fried puffed ball that is filled with potato, chickpeas, onions, spices, and flavoured water, usually tamarind or mint, and popped into one’s mouth whole.
Britannica
Just the thought of a round-ball dunked in spicy-tangy water and sweet chutney is a mouthwatering vision. I am not a foodie, but I missed eating this on the streets during the Covid-19 lockdown. We did not go the whole way by making the dough, the water and the fillings at home—quite a long task.
Like true blue city people, we did try some easily available panipuri kits from Amazon, and finally found panipuri kit by Jalani to our taste, simply because it had khajoor imli chutney powder, which tastes delicious.
But there’s no greater joy than eating panipuri on the streets. Moreover, panipuri also happens to be the cheapest street food in India, besides samosa. For Rs 20, you get 5 balls. I recall going to a vendor with an acquaintance who only carried credit cards and was unable to pay for this!
I can’t imagine parties and weddings without a panipuri counter. It’s the only savoury that seems to be favoured by all and sundry. Actor Kangana Ranaut elevated it internationally by putting up a panipuri stall in the middle of Amsterdam in the movie Queen (2013).
For a long time, I was confused between panipuri and golgappa. Then, on a trip to Guwahati I figured out it was the just the difference in flavours and regional names. As a Delhiite, I preferred the sweet-spicy-tangy flavours.
What are the fillings for a panipuri?
The main ingredients are wheat flour and semolina, spiced water, onions, potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind chutney. There are regional variations in the fillings and toppings of sev puri.
In Maharashtra, hot ragda (white peas curry) is added to the potato mash; in Gujarat, it is boiled moong, and in Karnataka, it is chopped onions.
The modern avatars include jalapeño or green chili water, lemon or tomato water. Fine dining restaurants also fill it with alcohol. Regional variations use fruit juices or dates too.
Then there are golgappas with curd, potatoes, chutneys, topped with sev. Some even have this as the last one. I like these.
What are the different names of panipuri?
India being so diverse, even the humble ball has different names and flavours. In Sanskrit, it is Jalapatra.
In Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, it is Paani patashi or Pani puri.
It is Golgappa, gol gappay or gol gappa in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan.
It is Fuchka/Phuchka/Phuska/Puska/Fuska in West Bengal, Bihar, North Odisha and Assam.
It is Gupchup in Odisha, Southern Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
It is pakodi in Gujarat.
Interestingly, in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, panipuri is called tikki, which are crispy potato patties in north India.
Where did panipuri originate?
This little savoury originated in India and has connected the Indian subcontinent, travelling to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Chaat, which originated in north India, is the predecessor of Panipuri/Gol Gappa. Food historians say that panipuri probably happened by accident, a smaller puri while making the large Raj Kachori. Far from the lavish fillings of Raj Kachori, this little ball was filled with flavoured water and spicy mashed potatoes.
The exact origins are obscure. Some legends say that it came into existence in the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha, southern Bihar.
Others say that Draupadi invented the Pani Puri. When the Pandava brothers, Draupadi, and their mother Kunti were in exile after losing their kingdom in a game of dice, Kunti threw Draupadi a challenge.
She gave her some leftover aloo sabzi (potato dish) and a small amount of dough, asking her to cook something that would satisfy all five brothers. It is unclear why this challenge took place. But in response, Draupadi invented Pani Puri. Impressed by her daughter-in-law, Kunti blessed the dish with immortality.
Well, next time you see a vendor selling panipuris, remember that this could be your ball of immortality.
This post was created for the Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge.
This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023.
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Queen of Treasures 
I like chats. But I am not a big fan of panipuri-s; but my wife is! I lived for a very short period of my life in Mumbai for a month. I had a target – like blog chatter half marathon!! – to consume the chat items almost every day from the shops, as you have given in your post. In addition to vada pav, lassi and dokla, I swallowed these panipuri balls too 🙂
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😀 I like to have panipuris whichever city I visit
It’s a must have
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Nothing beats good golgappas! I prefer the Atta ones. The suji ones can be hard and heavy. 🤤
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I like sooji ones and with dahi and imli chutney.. they are 😋
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Did you explore the “Fuchaka” connection?
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Yeah
Had them in Guwahati
Prefer the Delhi ones with sweet chutney
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great
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A brief history of panipuri from the time of Draupadi of Mahabharata till today. Though, I would much rather consume panipuri, than read about it’s origin. But curious to know, who was Draupadi’s favorite husband that got the maximum number of panipuris. Certainly not Dharmaraj, whose sin is forcing Deaupadi to pass time making panipuri. Can’t be Bheem, because given a choice he will consume everything. Must be handsome Arjun, who originally won her. We feel a little romance brewing over panipuri.
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I am an Indian, and a bengali so I have a craze for panipuri. Whichever state I visit I first try and find if theres panipuri there. I love its tantalising taste. This post is just wow!
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I guess we will never stop loving the panipuri
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Ohhh…great research Ambica. I love Pani Puri and it’s been 2 years I didn’t have it due to my postpartum and now babyhood period. Draupadi is the origin of this tangy dish. It is surprising to me. But yes, love to read the whole history of Pani puri.
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I love pani puris and use to have them whenever I visited India. However nowadays when I crave I make them at home cause I am afraid of having the road side one after a family member suffering from upset stomach.
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I love them all! home and streets, my family too avoids them from outside, but I love them too mcuh.
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Oh Ambica your post remind me that I had panipuri last in last December. I just love it and there is a variation in the taste of Panipuri which we call Fuchka in Kolkata from the one we had in North India.
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Hope you are going to have it.now
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Your blog perfectly captures the essence of one of India’s most cherished street foods, pani puri! This delightful snack is not just a favorite among Indians but also a must-try for anyone visiting India. Your description makes my taste buds tingle with anticipation!
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I love only the ones from Bombay. The Bangalore ones don’t fascinate me much. Let me get this and see if it satisfies my taste buds.
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Great story behind this famous dish. Always loved them.. we don’t get the same taste here in Kuwait but we manage with hatever we get to satisfy our cravings.
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Such a mouthwatering post. Some foods are universal, only their names change. I didn’t know the Mahabharat story. Very interesting. Thanks for sharing about it.
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Pani puri is right up there for me too after aloo tikkis. I always prefer to make them at home. Didn’t know they were called tikkis in Hoshangabad. Curious to know what tikkis are called there.
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All the while we were having Pani Puris, I never knew the story of Draupadi and how Pani Puri originates. This ball of immortality in an instant package – who would have thought that the life would be so advanced one day
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