I love Winter! ❤ The magic in the first cold winter breeze is almost tangible! Hot cocoa…Christmas lights…S’mores…the many holiday parties…the little golden Reindeer ornament…New Year’s resolutions that you know are a total waste of time…puppies in sweaters..cuddling with friends and family…what’s not to love! All I can dream about during this season are fleece pjs, a fuzzy pair of colorful socks, a plate of spicy Indian chaat, a hot cup of chai, a good read, and more chaat. And speaking of Indian chaat, believe me when I say that your life would be incomplete without tasting a hot and spicy plate of flavorful chaat. Out of the several varieties, one of my most favorite kind of chaat is Masala Puri.

Masala Puri is a type of Indian chaat that is popularly savored in the southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. It can be relished at any time of the year, obviously, but it is an absolutely perfect snack to yearn for during cold and rainy seasons. It can be quite addicting, so be warned! 😀 The recipe is quite simple and can be easily and quickly prepared at home. It goes great with a cup of hot chai or coffee. So why wait, make yourself a plate right now! 🙂

Recipe

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

Papdi Poori or Nippattu – 30 pieces

For the gravy (masala):

Medium-sized Potatoes – 2

Carrots – 3

Green Peas – 1 cup

Ginger-garlic paste – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Kitchen King Masala – 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp

Tamarind paste or Amchur powder – ½ tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt

For garnishing:

Finely chopped onion – ½ cup

Finely chopped tomatoes – ½ cup

Grated carrots – ½ cup

Finely chopped Cilantro – ¼ cup

Spicy Boondi (drops made from Bengal gram flour batter)

Lemon drops – 1 tbsp

Method

• Boil potatoes, carrots, and peas in a pressure cooker for up-to four whistles. Do not discard the vegetable broth as you can use it for making gravy.
• In a pan, heat oil; add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. Add cooked potatoes, carrots, and peas to the pan and mix well. Use a potato masher to make a paste. You can also use a blender to make a paste. I prefer a chunky masala, so I simply use a masher.
• To this mixture, add turmeric powder, garam masala, Kitchen King masala, red chili powder, and amchur powder or tamarind paste and stir well. Add salt to taste.
• Add vegetable broth to this masala, as and when needed, and bring it to dosa or pancake batter consistency. Bring the masala to a boil.
• And now, the magic! On a plate, prepare the base with a bed of crispy papdi puris or nippattu. Pour hot masala on it so as to cover all of the pooris evenly. For garnishing, sprinkle chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, grated carrots, and chopped cilantro on the masala. Sprinkle some boondi on it as well. Serve hot with a generous drizzle of lemon drops! 🙂