To begin making the Puri for Pani Puri, in a large bowl, add in the salt, sooji rava and the warm water. Mix the ingredients well until the sooji rava has absorbed all the water. The mixture will resemble a wet crumb texture.

With this existing moisture we need to make this into a smooth dough. For that add in a tablespoon of maida (all purpose flour). This flour is to absorb that extra moisture and give it a bit of gluten for the dough. 

Resist the temptation to add more flour, this will alter the texture of the puri for the pani puri

Knead this dough well for about 10 minutes continuously. It will be easier to knead it on your kitchen platform rather than the bowl. You can use both your hands and muscle power to get the sooji rava mixture into a consistency of a smooth dough. The dough should not be super stiff. It should be firm, yet smooth and pliable.

NOTE: Do time yourself and knead for 10 minutes and not any less (smiles)

The kneading helps the dough develop the gluten and the warmth of your hand helps it get softer. This gluten will help the puri’s puff in the oil and turn crisp as well.

Also note, the dough should not be soft, it should be medium tight and not hard. Hence kneading well helps give that smooth finish

After kneading the dough for 10 minutes, add in 1 tablespoon of oil. It is important that you add the oil only after kneading the dough and not in the beginning. This will give the crunch to the dough that a puri of the pani puri should have.

Knead this pani puri dough for another 3 minutes (put a timer on)

Now cover the dough either in a box with a lid or invert a bowl over it. This helps the dough to sweat and form its gluten and softness. Allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Once the dough is well rested for 30 minutes, knead the dough once again for another 2 minutes (set the timer on)

Once kneaded, we will now use a cookie cutter or the cap of the cocktail shaker to cut the puri’s for the pani puri.

Preheat the oil for deep frying the puri for the pani puri.

Divide the dough in 3 small portions. Take one portion out and keep the rest covered. Roll the dough into a thin sheet and using a cutter make rounds of the dough.

I like to roll these rounds a little more with a rolling pin just to make sure you get the perfect thickness.

Keep adding one puri at a time into the preheat oil and fry the puri’s on low to medium heat (not high heat), until they puff and turn golden brown on both sides.

Note: The puri’s have to fry on low to medium heat to get that perfect crispness.

Drain the puri’s once they turn golden brown on absorbent paper.

Continue the same process for the remaining portions of the dough.

Serve these  Puris with Pani to make Pani Puris | Golgappas | Puchka’s the most famous street food snack of india.