Fuchka! Famous Kolkata Pani Puri

Preparation

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- Boil the potatoes
[allow 2-3 whistles in pressure cooker]
- Boil dry peas
[soak in water for 4 hours, then boil till 8 whistles in pressure cooker]
- Dry roast coriander seeds & cumin seeds, mix & grind to powder
[On low flame, dry roast coriander seeds for 30 secs, then add the cumin seeds & continue to roast for another 7-8 secs]
- Roast the red chilies & grind to make chili powder.
[On medium flame, dry roast the dry red chilies ]
- Chop green chilies into small pieces
- Chop coriander leaves

Dough preparation

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- Mix sooji, flour & baking soda in a mixing bowl
- Add little water at a time & knead to a firm but smooth dough
- Knead for at least 8-10 mins
- Cover the bowl with a wet towel & cure for 1 hour.
[Caution: Do not add salt!]

Making fuchka shells

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[After 1 hour of dough seasoning]
[Heat oil in a kadai on medium-high flame. While the oil heats up, roll the shells]
- Knead for another 2 mins
- Roll the dough within palm to give tube shape
- Cut small balls of 2 inches diameter
- Keep the dough balls covered under wet towel
- Take 1 ball at a time & roll flat
[Make the sheet as thin as possible. Roll on kitchen slab. Dust with flour if necessary]
- Use round cookie cutter or steel glass to cut the fuchka shells.
- Put rolled shells in heated oil [one at a time, max 4 shells]
- Drown the shell with a perforated ladle, so it is completely under oil.
[Shell will inflate]
- Turn the shells over & fry till golden in color
- Transfer to a container wrapped with kitchen towel
[Absorption of oils from fuchka shell is very necessary. Oil should be removed as early as possible]
- Dry the fried shells under direct sun for 2 hours
- Transfer sun dried shells to a clean dry glass jar, cover the mouth tightly.

Make Tamarind Juice

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- Add 3-4 tbsp water to the ripe tamarind
[Use the black aged tamarind]
- Mix & mash the tamarind, discard the tamarind veins
- Make a dense tamarind juice

Make potato filling

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- Peel the boiled potato skins
- Mash the boiled potato
- Add the boiled peas
- Add 1/2 tsp black salt
- Add 1/2 tsp salt
- Add 1/2 tsp chat masala
- Add 1.5 tsp coriander+cumin powder
- Add half of the chopped green chilies
- Add 1/2 tsp roasted red chili powder
- Add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- Squeeze juice of 2/3 gadhoraj lemon
- Mix all the ingredients
[Taste the salt & adjust necessarily]
- Add 1 tbsp dense tamarind juice & mix thoroughly

Making Tetul jal

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- Add 400 ml water to the dense tamarind juice
[Discard seeds & veins]
- Add 1/2 tsp black salt
- Add 1/2 tsp salt
- Add 1 tsp cumin+coriander powder
- Add 1/2 tsp roasted red chili powder
- Add 1/2 tsp chopped green chilies
- Add 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
- Mix all the spices in tamarind water
- Squeeze in juice of 1/3 gandhoraj lemon
- Put the squeezed lemon pieces in tamarind water
- Mix everything

Serving

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- Break the dried fuchka shells
- Fill in the potato filling
- Dip in tok jol (tamarind water)
[Adjust sourness, hotness according to your liking]