Pani puri, golgappas, gupchups or phuchkas one word is enough to make you feel nostalgic. And enough to make you run down the road to get your fill of the snack! Golgappas, or the sundry other ways they're known as, are hands down the most popular one in this multi-cultural nation. The crunchy puris filled with tangy spiced water have not only mesmerised Indian audiences but are also flooring foodies internationally.
The love affair with golgappas seems endless, but it's really no mystery why. The simple, easy-to-eat gastronomical wonder presents itself in different avatars. From mashed potatoes to chickpeas, from tamarind water to raw mango pulp, the amazing pani puri continues to enthrall us. Take a look at some of Indias hottest spots to wolf down a plate or two. Seriously, who
1. Elco, Mumbai
Treating oneself to some yummy pani puri after a shopping spree at Hill Road, Bandra, is a lovely routine to follow. Regarded as the best chaat house of the city, Elco will surprise you with its lip-smacking flavoured water balls. It is priced slightly higher at Rs. 60 per plate, serving six pieces, but Elco is worth every penny. You can savour this tangy, spicy treat with the hygienic environment only tempting you further.
2. Sindhi Pani Puri House, Chembur Sindhi camp, Mumbai
Mumbai, being a cosmopolitan city, believes in adding variation. Just like Sindhi Pani Puri House, that's been serving hatke pani puris for over 30 years. Opening at 4.00 pm sharp, till 10.00 pm every single day, Sindhi House serves their famous ice-cold boondi-filled tangy pani puris. The tiny roadside kiosk is also a hit for its Dahi Puri and Mirchi Bhajji.
3. Padam Chaat Corner, Old Delhi
Located in Kinari Bazaar of Chandni Chowk is the popular pani puri joint of Padamji or Panditji Padam Chaat Corner. Panditji, as he's fondly addressed by the regulars, will hand you a pattal (small bowl made of leaves) and take your taste buds on an absolute joyride. There is also a selection of chaat he calls Kitty Party on the menu. Unlike the routine six pieces of pani puri, Padam Chaat Corner has four pieces a plate, but dont let the number baffle you, for they are a delightful offering of pale green masala water, saunth, chutneys, soft-boiled potatoes and pickled guava.
4. Ashok Chaat Bhandar, Delhi
Ashok Chat Bhandar, right outside the Chawri Bazar metro station exit, attracts more than 700 people daily! This stat alone is enough to understand just how this over-70-year-old chaat corner needs no introduction. The obnoxiously popular shack is famous for its mint-flavoured spicy water that will leave the freshness in your mouth long after you're done eating.
5. Lala Babu Chaat Bhandar, Chandni Chowk, Delhi
Lala Babu Chaat Bhandar presents one of Delhi's most gastronomical wonders. The roadside stall in the ancient part of the city is famous for its golgappas served with spicy jaljeera water that's flavoured with a digestive called Harad.
6. Dilip das phuchkas, Kolkata
From my experience of spending a few months in Kolkata, it is safe to say every galli or street has their own favourite phuchkawalla. Seen as no one less than a star, they are eagerly awaited every evening by people, irrespective of age. The famously known Dilip da at Vivekananda Park, off Southern Avenue, serves phuchkas different from other variants of the same snack. The filling is made of lightly mashed boiled potatoes with black snkg, snkg, tamarind pulp, spices and chili powder while the water is the light and tart Tetul Jol or Tamarind Water prepared by mixing tamarind, spices and snkg.
7. Chakraberia, Kolkata
Meet Upinder, owner of a phuchka stall near Triangular Park in Chakraberia, which specialises in serving special Jain pani puris. Running the business for the last 40 years, he caters to the demand of the Jain community residing nearby. Instead of potatoes, the masala is prepared with mashed bananas, providing a unique flavor. He also prepares aloo phuchka for his non-Jain customers. The other ingredients of this landmark dish are mineral water, shredded chilies and boiled grams.
8. Vardaan Market, Kolkata
Easily the staple snack of Kolkata, phuchka is widely consumed by customers of all age groups just outside Vardaan Market. Often described as heavenly, the filling is prepared with freshly ground spices. The aroma of jeera, methi, dhania and ajwain is enough to give you a foodgasm. The minty-tamarind chutney is definitely the best in competition.
9. New Alipore, Kolkata
New Alipore has blessed us with two supremely famous phuchka stalls - Bada Phuchkawalla, and the other in front of Nandan Market. While Bada Phuchkawalla, true to its name, provides extra-large phuchkas, the latter proudly specialises in giving a variety of flavoured water. From raw mangoes to icy-jal jeera, the phuchkas, costing Rs 10 for five, are short of delicious.
10. Pani Puri Stalls at the Marina Beach, Chennai
You dont have to be in North India to enjoy pani puris. The golden fried puris filled with tangy tamarind water are available at the stalls in Marina Beach in Chennai as well. There is definitely a fondness for this snack among the locals when it is accompanied by the cool sea-breeze. More than a snack, Marina pani puris are the experience of a lifetime.
11. Ramraj's Pani Puri, Frazer Town, Bangalore
Closest to the authentic Kolkata phuchkas, Ramrajs pani puri serves up the right combination of crunchy puris and masaledar tangy water. It started six years ago with a single stall to slowly becoming four at prominent places in Bangalore. The origin of Ramrajs pani puri stall is a rather interesting story. The owner Ramraj, from Allahabad, started the stall after he failed to make it big working in a diamond factory. To survive, he began working with a Pani Puri vendor from Kolkata. And the rest, as they say, is history.
12. King Of Chaat, Lucknow
This list would be incomplete without mentioning a popular batasha joint from Lucknow, an evergreen foodies paradise. King Of Chaat is constantly swarming with people patiently awaiting their turn to gorge on the famous snack.
King of Chaat, located in Hazaratganj, is renowned for its Paanch Swaad ke Batashe, referring to five types of water.
13. Shukla Chaat House, Lucknow
Yet another gift from the land of delicacies, Hazratganj, is Shukla Chaat House. The 45-year-old small stall specialises in selling just three items pani-batasha (another name for pani puri in UP), Matar chaat and aloo tikki. They also serve nimbu pani to beat the heat. What makes Lucknawi pani ke batashe different from your regular pani puris is that the golden casings are filled with a combination of curd and chutney.
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