Name: Indian Pani Puri
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 62 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 200 g semolina (fine); 4 tbsp plain flour (plus extra for dusting); null null fine salt (fine sea); null null freshly ground pepper (and freshly ground black); 130 ml soda (water); 800 ml vegetable oil (for frying); 500 g ripe tomatoes; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 10 null whole black peppercorns; 3 null garlic cloves (peeled); null null fresh ginger root (1 small thumb-sized piece, peeled); 3 null fresh red chillies (deseeded); 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 0.5 bunch fresh coriander (½ a); null pinch salt pepper (a pinch of salt and); 200 ml water; null null fresh ginger root (1 thumb-sized piece, peeled); 2 null green chillis (fresh, trimmed); 1 large bunch fresh mint leaves; 150 ml apple juice (fresh unsweetened); 1 tsp tamarind puree (paste or chutney); null null olive oil (a lug of); 1 heaping tsp cumin seeds; 1 handful curry leaves; 1 pinch ground cinnamon; 1 tin chickpeas (1 x 400g, drained); 1 tbsp tamarind puree (paste or chutney); 0.5 null fennel bulbs (½ a, trimmed, finely chopped); 4 null radishes (trimmed, finely chopped); 0.5 null red onion (½ a small, peeled, finely chopped)

Instructions

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1

To make the puris, place the fine semolina (200 g), plain flour (4 tbsp) and a [pinch fine salt] in a bowl, then gradually add the soda (130 ml), stirring continuously until the mixture comes together to form a stiff dough. Place into a flour-dusted bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
2

Meanwhile, blitz all the pani ingredients: ripe tomatoes (500 g), fennel seeds (1 tsp), black peppercorns (10 whole), garlic (3 cloves), thumb-sized piece fresh ginger root (1 small), red chillies (3 fresh), red wine vinegar (2 tbsp), fresh coriander (0.5 bunch), a [pinch salt pepper] and water (200 ml) in a liquidiser until smooth. Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin, place over a large bowl, then pour in the tomato mixture and leave to strain – you’ll end up with a beautiful, intense, flavoured water.
3

Meanwhile, make the green salsa. Roughly chop and add the piece fresh ginger root (1 thumb-sized) to a liquidiser with the remaining salsa ingredients: green chillis (2 fresh), bunch fresh mint leaves (1 large), fresh unsweetened apple juice (150 ml), and tamarind puree (1 tsp). Blitz until smooth, then season to taste and transfer to a small bowl.
4

For the spiced chickpeas, heat a [lug olive oil] in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the tsp cumin seeds (1 heaping), curry leaves (1 handful) and ground cinnamon (1 pinch), then fry for around 3 minutes, or until nicely toasted. Stir in the g tin chickpeas (1 400), then add the tamarind puree (1 tbsp) and cook for a further 3 minutes to warm through, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
5

Shape the puri dough on a flour-dusted surface into a long sausage shape, roughly 40cm in length, then take small lumps of dough and roll into rough grape-sized pieces with your hands. Roll the dough out into thin, flat circles, roughly 7cm in diameter.
6

Place a large, deep pan over a high heat, add the vegetable oil (800 ml) and allow it to get really hot. To test if it’s hot enough, drop a tiny piece of dough into the pan – if it floats to the surface and starts to sizzle, it’s about right. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower 3 to 4 dough circles into the pan. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffed up, using the spoon to push them under the oil, then carefully flip them over and continue cooking for 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a double layer of kitchen paper to drain, then repeat with the remaining dough.
7

Meanwhile, finely chop the bulbs (0.5 fennel), radishes (4), onion (0.5 red) and cucumber (0.5), then place into separate bowls.
8

To serve the puris, smash a hole in the top and spoon some chickpeas, green salsa and chopped vegetables inside. Drizzle in a little of the pani, pick over a few of the [to_garnish fresh coriander] and tuck in.