Gol Gappay

Gol Gappay or Pani Puri is our all time family favorite street food. Everybody in our home loves to eat it anytime, anywhere.

I am a huge fan of Gol Gappay (Pani Puri). I found it the most exciting street food in the world, with full of fun and joy. It's excitement is based on its 'eating style'.

It is a "free style" eating product. Just take a round hollow shell of Gol Guppa or puri, prick it in the centre, put 4-5 grains of boiled chickpeas into it, simply fill it with specifically prepared spicy and tangy water (Pani). Next, take the whole in your mouth and crush it slowly, slowly in your mouth so that you can fully enjoy the taste.

Yes!!! you can also add boiled mashed potatoes, grated cabbage, chopped onion or tomatoes as per your taste.

I and my family prefer to eat it simple and light, that is with its basics : puri, boiled chickpeas and tamarind water.

I also came to know about "fusion Gol Gappas/Pani puri", it's Mexican style Gol Gappa/ pani puri in which the additional elements are red kidney beans and corn.
 
Have you ever tasted "Butter Chicken Pani Puri", Mango pani puri or tried Gol Gappas with Pineapple juice?

Now lets have a look on the recipe of enchanting Gol Gappas :

 Ingredients for Gol Gappa Shell :

1. Sooji (Semolina) 1/2 cup
2. Maida (Plain Refined Flour) 1/2 cup
3. Soda – ½ tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil for Frying
6. Oil – 2 tbsp

Preperation :

• Mix semolina, plain flour, Cooking Soda salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and knead well to make dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal.
• Cover it with a wet towel and let it stand for at least 20 minutes.
• Now make very small balls and roll them into small circles.
• Remember not to make the circles bigger as they have to be eaten whole.
• Remember to put the circles under a damp cloth as soon as you roll them.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and then fry them.
• The idea is to puff them like a sphere and fry them till golden brown.
• Take them out and put them on kitchen towel, to get rid of the extra oil.
• Let them completely cool down (otherwise they will become soggy) before you put them into an air tight container. 

Ingredients for Spicy Tangy Water ( Pani) :

1. Chopped Mint Leaves 1 1/2 cups
2. Chopped Coriander Leaves 1 tbsp.
3. Tamarind – 1/3 cup
4. Ginger 1″
5. Green chilies – 4 to 5 ( at your own risk, I've never used.)
6. Ground Cumin Seed (roasted) 1 tsp.
7. Kala Namak (Black Salt) 1 1/2 tsp.
8. Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak the tamarind pulp in one cup of warm water for one hour.
• Strain the tamarind residue out to get thick tamarind water. While straining in the strainer mash the tamarind with the help of a spoon.
• Put mint leaves, chopped coriander, ginger, chilies and dry roasted cumin seed.
• Add a little water and mix to a smooth consistency using a blender.
• Put this thick paste into a jug and add fill the jug with water. (Add the water slowly and taste the mixture and if you want to dilute more then add water.)
• Add salt, preferably black rock salt to taste. (Black Salt or Kala Namak is an important ingredient in this)
• Put it in the fridge to cool down.

Ingredients for Red Tamarind Sauce:

1. Tamarind 1 cup
2. Jaggery – ½ cup
3. Sugar 2 tbsp.
4. Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
5. Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp
6. Dry Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp
7. Dry Coriander – 2 tsp
8. Warm water – 2 cups
9. Vegetable oil 1 tsp
10. Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak Tamarind in warm water for one hour. After that remove the seeds.
• Meanwhile dry roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
• pound them into coarse powder.
• Now take the Tamarind pulp mixture, strain it and add jaggery, sugar, red chili powder,powdered  black pepper, roasted cumin powder, cloves and salt.
• Put the mixture in a pan and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove from heat and let it cool down.
• Remember that on cooling down it will thicken up a bit, consistency like thick cream. Otherwise you may want to add some warm water.
• On cooling, blend the contents in a blender.

For Stuffing :

1. Potatoes : Boiled and finely chopped /mashed and mixed with salt and red chilli.
2. Chickpeas : Boiled or canned.
3. Tomatoes : Chopped.
4. Onion : Chopped.
5. Cabbage : Finely chopped.
6. Yogurt.
7. Sewe or sewai.

Serving or Presentation:

• Prick a small hole in the centre of the Gol Gappa (or Puri).
• Add some mashed boiled potatoes in small quantity, chickpeas, tomatoes,onion, cabbage into the shell. Add a little Red Tamarind Chutney.
• Dip it in the spicy water (or pour some spicy water in it).
• If you like more stuffing, than you can add yogurt or crispy "sewe" to tempt your taste buds.

Now it is ready to enter into your mouth. Be prepared to enjoy its taste.

Have great fun and excitement !!!