Masala Puri

Chats are my most favorite go-to evening snack or supper food. Hailing from Bangalore I can eat chats all day long. Masala puri is a very popular street food and tastes a lot different from the North Indian masala puri.

Masala puri in Bangalore is classic street food. It’s a perfect blend of spices and a must have for a cold winter evening. Sometimes I make just the masala and eat it like soup…..I’m trying to be healthy you see!

After moving to the USA, I obviously missed masala puri and wanted to make it as my dear husband has never really eaten it. I tried a few recipes online but none of them really had the same taste, so my sweet mother went to the cart guy from whom I have been eating for about 8 years now, and shared his recipe with me. Below is the original recipe from the authentic source!! The joy of making masala puri is surreal, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Dry masala powder:

Dhaniya: 1tsp

Jeera: 1 tsp

Black pepper: 1 tsp

Lavanga/ Clove: 5-6 nos

Annase Huvvu/ Star Anise: ½ no

Sompu/ Fennel seeds: 1 tsp

Jakay/ nut meg: ½ tsp

Yallaki/ Cardamom: 2 nos

Chakke/ Cinnamon: 1 inch

For the wet masala:

Byadagi chilli: 4-5nos

Kobbari/ fresh coconut: 2tbsp

Shunti/ Ginger : 1 inch

Belluli/ Garlic: 2 pods

Erulli/ onion: ½ a onion / ¼ th cup of chopped onions

Tomato: 1 small / ¼ th cup of chopped tomato

For the masala/ gravy:

Vatana / Dry Peas: 1 cup

Potato: 1 big potato

Beasan/ Chickpea flour: 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 2tsp – adjust according to the spice level you require.

For serving:

Onions: 1 no (small – finely chopped)

Tomato: 1 no(  finely chopped)

Carrot:1 no (grated)

Sweet and Green chutney:  3tbsp

Sev: ½ cup

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp finely chopped

Method:

For the masala/gravy:

• Soak the Vatana/ Peas overnight or 6-7 hours. Pressure cook the soaked peas with potato for 2 whistles along with some salt to taste.

• Now make the dry masala from all the ingredients listed under “dry masala powder” into a fine powder. You might not need the entire powder. Once the masala is done, move the powder into a dry container

 

• Now make the paste the ingredients under “wet masala paste”.

 

• Mash the potato and the peas, make sure you do not mash the peas completely.
• Add the wet masala paste completely to the peas and potato mixture along with the powdered dry masala – about 2 tbsp and 1 tsp of the red chili powder.

 

• Now let it boil for some 20 min until the mixture is thickened. If you feel the mixture is not very thick then add a tbsp of besan/kadale hittu.
• Always keep the gas/ heat on low-medium.
• Let the mixture boil for 20 min, keep stirring or add water if its becoming too thick.

For Plating:

• In a serving plate break about 5-6 puri, add the peas masala/gravy. Drizzle some sweet chutney ( dates chutney) and green chutney ( mint- coriander chutney).
• Sprinkle some finely chopped onions, tomatoes and grated carrots.
• Sprinkle some chat masala and salt if needed.
• Garnish with some coriander leaves and sev.