Gol gappe, phuchke, pani ka bataashe, gup chup, phulki – all of these are names for one of India’s most favorite snacks, the pani puri. A small, unassuming, crispy hollow ball of fried dough, filled with potato or chickpeas, and dunked in spicy jal jeera and meetha chutney.
The world of Indian street food is vast, diverse, and delicious, but gol gappe is the king. Whether you’re ordering it from a fine dining restaurant or street vendor it never gives you a disappointment. It has popularity in the streets of Indian other than any street food. No other street food can compete for gol gappe in this street race. Gol Gappe is not an expensive dish and affordable by everyone which has made it so popular that many call it the king of all snacks.
This dish is available on every street with its taste and fusion. Puri is made from semolina and whole wheat flour. It is small enough to fit into the mouth. These deep-fried puri are hollowed from the center and filled with masala made of potato, onion, chickpeas, and some basic spices. Then it is topped with tamarind chutney and then dunked into the tangy mint water. The delicious taste, easy availability and low cost have made it one of the most desired snacks of every season.
When the crispy gol gappa breaks into the mouth and give way to the filling to spread around and tickle those taste buds. People enjoy this masala filled puri into the mouth and relishing it one after another on the streets of India. The catch about eating gol gappa is that it should be consumed immediately once filled with water. If not the puris will turn soggy and contents will spill.
History Of Gol Gappe
While the origins of this delicious snack have no pinpoint history. As it comes to history the internet does not offer many stories on that. But people believe that there is a connection of gol gappe to the Mahabharata and Magadha empire. When it comes to history, there are two different things one is facts another is the myth. There are various facts and myths associated with the story of Mahabharata.
One of the mythology tales says that a newly-wedded Draupadi returns home to be given a task by her mother-in-law Kunti. She wanted to test her daughter in law that she is not partial to one son and give justice to all five brothers equally. So she gave Draupadi enough wheat dough to make one puri, instructing her to make food that would satisfy the hunger of all five of her sons.
Draupadi prepared five small puris, filled it up with some leftover potato dish, and served it to the Pandavas. She had come up with a new dish wish was delicious and relished by her sons. This is how Draupadi is known to have won over the hearts of the Pandavas and her Mother in law.
Read More : INDIAN STREET FOOD
It is believed that gol gappe was originated in the kingdom of Magadha in southern Bihar. It is called phulki these ancient pani puris were made with smaller, crispier puris than those used today. It is filled with potato sabzi. The culinary genius who invented them is lost in the pages of history, they would be thanked by Indians for generations.
As the popular street food has reached to fine dining restaurant. Gol Gappe is undergoing a makeover, breaking out of the mold, and transforming into a palatable snack that is now being served at high-end restaurants as a gourmet food item in India. Nowadays it served with alcoholic drinks like vodka or whiskey.
But chefs made this simple dish to an extreme level as the traditional recipe says that it is dunked in water made from mint, coriander, chaat masala, black salt, cumin powder, green chili, and water. But now these simple puri is served with various combinations like pineapple water, black grape water, orange juice water, pomegranate water, or raw mango water. There are an array of different water filling in puri with various fusion.