Aayi’s Recipes Konkan/Konkani food blog, Indian culinary treasures

Have any of you visited Bangalore? If yes, you must have tasted the chaats and the most popular chaat in Bangalore is Masala puri. You will get it everywhere. It is as popular as (or rather more popular than) any other chaat. I tried my best to make this at home, but was never successful. It would taste great but nothing like the original masala puri. I don’t know if this is available anywhere else or not, because I never found it in Indian restaurants here(though all other chaats are available, this is missing). Few days back, I even googled for this recipe, but all I found were normal puris(deep fried ones) with some kind of masala in them and not a ‘chaat‘.

While talking to my friend Poornima few days back, she accidentally said her friend had given her the masala puri recipe. Do I need to say I pestered her to send that recipe?? (these days everyone gets scared to tell me any new food experiments, because I start asking the recipe ). She sent this recipe and this is one of the best masala puris I have ever had. I will not say more than that, try it yourself to know what I mean.

I will give the recipe in steps.

Sour soup:
1 tea spn jaggery
3/4 tea spn tamarind extract
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1 cup water
Salt

If ready made extract is not available, extract the thick juice of one small lemon size tamarind.

Method:
Roast the cumin seeds(fry without oil) and powder them. Mix all the ingredients and boil for around 5-10mins.

Sweet chutney:
9-10 dates
3/4 tea spn tamarind extract
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1 and 1/2 tea spns jaggery
Salt

If ready made extract is not available, extract the thick juice of one small lemon size tamarind.

Method:
Roast the cumin seeds(fry without oil) and powder them.
Make a smooth paste of all the ingredients.

Spicy chutney:
1 tea spn oil
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
3-4 strands coriander leaves
3-4 green chilies
1/2 tea spn chili powder
1 tbl spn dessicated coconut
Salt

Method:
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start to pop up, add green chilies, coriander leaves, coconut, chili powder, salt and fry for 2-3 mins. Grind it into a smooth paste.

Other Ingredients and preparations:
- 8-10 small puris(ready made puris used for pani puri)

They can also be made at home with this recipe

- 1 and 1/2 cups dry green peas(green vatana)
- 1/4 cup boiled and mashed potatoes(optional)
Soak the peas overnight and cook them in cooker along with salt. They should be cooked till soft (they take a long time to cook). Mix potatoes with peas.

- 3/4 cup grated carrot
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tea spn chaat masala
- 1 tea spn red chili powder
- 3/4 cup sev(optional)
- Rock salt(optional)

To serve:
In the serving plate, take some puris. Crush them lightly with hand.

Spread 2-3tbl spoons of peas on the puris.

Pour 3-4 tbl spns of the soup.

Spread 1-2 tea spn (or desired amount) of sweet chutney.
Spread 1-2 tea spn (or desired amount) of spicy chutney.

Spread onion, carrot(I didn’t add carrot in below picture). Sprinkle chaat masala and chili powder.

Spread sev if desired. Serve immediately.

Preparation time : 30mins
Serves : 2-3

PS: Fresh or frozen peas cannot be used for this dish. They give a very different taste not suitable for masala puri.
Roasting and powdering cumin gives a very different aroma. Any dishes where raw cumin powder is required, use roasted cumin powder instead of ready made one.

Note: This is just one way of making masala puri. I have tasted many different versions in Bangalore.