Pani puri: India's famous street snack ^{CEFR A2}

Pani puri is a small, deep‑fried shell that vendors fill with spiced potatoes, chickpeas, raw onion and tangy spices. Each filled puri is dunked into a flavoured water, often mint or tamarind, so one bite gives a strong taste.

Food historians link an early form called phulki to Magadha (544–322 BCE). A tale from the Mahabharata about Draupadi is one of the stories about its origin.

The snack has many regional names such as golgappa and phuchka. It has travelled abroad and people eat it in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia and Australia. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor showed regional differences in a Facebook recipe. Some worry about hygiene, but regulated stalls and homemade versions often use filtered water and fresh ingredients.