Facts About Panipuri
Panipuri or Phuchka is a type of snack that originated in the Indian subcontinent.
It consists of a round or ball-shaped, hollow puri (a deep-fried crisp crepe), filled with a mixture of flavored water (known as imli pani), tamarind chutney, chili, chaat masala, potato, onion or chickpeas.
Names
Panipuri's name varies depending on the region. In Haryana it is known as paani patashi; in Madhya Pradesh fulki; in Uttar Pradesh pani ke batashe/padake; in Assam phuska/puska; in parts of Gujarat, Gup-chup in parts of Odisha, Phuchka in Bihar, Nepal, Jharkhand, Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
Phuchka (or fuska or puska) differs from panipuri in content and taste. It uses a mixture of boiled yellow peas and spiced mashed potatoes as the filling, and is tangy rather than sweetish while the water is sour and spicy.
History
Pani Puri was reportedly first introduced in the ancient Kingdom of Magadha, which presides in the Southern part of Bihar. Introduced during the 600 BC, Pani Puris were called Phulki in the Kingdom of Magadha. According to a media report, during the ancient era, pani puris used to be much smaller, crispier than those of today. However, there are other media reports that claim that the street food was introduced in the Mahabharata. A media report suggests that pani puri was reportedly introduced by Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas, when she was challenged by her mother-in-law Kunti. Reportedly, one fine day Kunti threw a challenge at Draupadi, asking her to make a meal out of some leftover potato curry and a small amount of dough. Draupadi, who was married to the five Pandavas brothers, ideated a new recipe, made from the dough and potato curry, which later won her praise and appreciation from her mother-in-law Kunti, who also blessed the dish with immortality.
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