8 September, 2023

Street Food of Kolkata Puchka

Comments : 2 Posted in : Starters & Snacks on September 8, 2023 by : Fizza Tags: Golgappa, Kolkota Street Food, PaniPuri, Puchka

Street Food of Kolkata Puchka .Where every crispy sphere promises a burst of tantalizing flavors . It consists of small, hollow, crispy puris (fried dough balls) filled with a spicy and tangy mixture of mashed potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and various chutneys. The final touch is a flavorful and refreshing tamarind water poured into each puri just before it’s eaten. Puchkas are enjoyed for their burst of flavors and textures, making them a beloved treat among food enthusiasts across the country.

These delightful street foods of Kolkata, known as Puchka, are called by various names across the subcontinent, from pani puri to golgappa. Initially, the first crunchy bite of the Puchka is followed by an explosion of savory and tangy goodness.

The recipe for Puchkas typically includes a spicy potato filling and tangy tamarind water, both of which can easily be prepared at home. Additionally, the puri shells for Puchkas can be conveniently purchased from local vendors or, alternatively, made at home.

Tips to make Puchka Puris

• For the puri dough, use mainly semolina or sooji and a small quantity of wheat flour as a binding agent. Look for fine semolina .
• Add hot (but not boiling) water carefully while mixing the dough, too much water can result in soggy fried lumps rather than crispy puris. The dough should be firm and not too soft.
• It’s important to knead the dough well till it starts feeling smooth.
• Roll the dough out as thin and evenly . If the dough is unevenly rolled out, it will result in thick edges or spots that won’t puff up.
• You can either make small balls of dough and roll out individual puris, or roll out a bigger circle of dough evenly and use a cutter to cut circles in it.
• When frying the puris, the oil’s temperature has to be controlled between medium to high flame. This will help the puris puff up instantly, and cook them properly so that they remain crisp even after cooling down.

Serves 60 to 65 puchkas

Ingredients for puchkas

• 1 cup fine Sooji (Semolina)
• 2 tablespoons Atta (Whole Wheat flour)
•  Hot but not boiling water to make dough
• Oil for frying puris

Ingredients for the potato filling

• 400 g boiled potatoes
• 1tsp black salt
• 1 tsp bhaja masala
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• 3 to 4 crushed green chillies
• A handful of coriander leaves
• ¼ cup of phuchka water
• Salt to taste
• 25 g  boiled white peas
• 25 g  boiled black chana (bengal gram)
• chopped onions (optional)

‍Ingredients for the tamarind water

• ½ cup mint leaves
• 30 g tamarind pulp
• 2 to 3 crushed green chillies
• ¼ tsp bhaja masala
• ½ tsp black salt
• ½tsp salt
• lime juice (optional)

How to make puchkas

• In a mixing bowl, combine semolina, flour, and salt.
• Gradually add water and knead into a stiff dough.
• Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
• After resting, knead the dough again and divide it into small lemon-sized balls.
• Roll out each ball into thin discs (approximately 2-3 inches in diameter).
• Alternatively , you can roll out a big circle and cut round with a cookie cutter.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, gently slide in the rolled-out discs one by one.
• Fry until they puff up and turn golden brown.
• Remove the fried puchka shells onto paper towels to drain excess oil.

Method for the potato filling

• Peel and roughly mash boiled potatoes.
• Season them with salt, bhaja masala, chaat masala, coriander powder, crushed green chillies, coriander leaves, and ¼ cup of the tamarind water we just prepared.
• Add boiled bengal gram and boiled white peas
• Mix everything together. Taste for seasoning and adjust it to your taste.
• Mix gently and you are ready to serve phuchkas.

Method for the tamarind water

• Soak tamarind in warm water .
• Wash mint leaves in running water add little water and blend to a fine paste
• Mash the tamarind well to extract the pulp.Strain it.
• If you prefer ,you can blend the pulp and then strain it.
• Add mint paste , black salt, regular table salt, bhaja masala  , crushed green chillies and 600 ml drinking water to the tamrind pulp.
• Taste the water and adjust sourness ,salt and chillies to your preference.
• Add more water if you find it concentrated.Chill it.

Assembling Puchkas:

• Take each puchka shell and gently make a small hole on one side using your thumb.
• Stuff the prepared filling mixture into the hole.
• Dip the stuffed puchka into the spiced water (pani).
• Serve immediately and enjoy the burst of flavors!