Well, how does one describe the top ranked Indian street food, pani puri, to someone who has never eaten it. Let me give it a try! Think crisp, hollow, deep fried balls filled with a medley of flavors and textures ranging from the sweet and sour of tamarind and dates chutney, to the minty and hot, mint-coriander-green chily chutney to mashed potatoes and boiled chickpeas and some fried pearl sized balls of gram flour for that crunch. The pani puri walla serves you this 'well rounded' snack one by one on a small plate and you have to put the entire ball into your mouth and have the flavors explode within to relish it.
This set up of the pani puri is the original one, with the mobile stand that can be set up anywhere. On the metal disc placed on top are stacks of the fried hollow balls called 'puri' and the various garnishes and chutneys in different pots.
In fancy restaurants, you get the likes of vodka pani puri or cola pani puri, but try out the original version when you get a chance to.
