Paani puri, Puchka, Gol-Gappa, Paani batasha, Gupchup, Phuki, many even call it the soul-food . . . .did you drool though?
A good dose of Pani Puri, for every Indian, is pure joy personified. Isn’t it? From streets to fine dining, this delicious dish has served many bellies with utmost pleasure and satisfaction.
Whenever one feels like eating street-food, people dig-in hard to the Gol-Gappa vendors. Classified as one of the most popular and loved chaats of India, Pani Puri, without a doubt, holds a special space in every Indians’ heart and of course bellies.
In a world full of innovations, how can this favorite snack stay behind right? peopel have come up with crazy and the yummiest innovations of and with paani- puri.
Hot Cheese Batasha, for instance, combines the flavors of India’s street food and Italy’s cheesy delight. this sounds heavenly, imagine what it must taste like!
A Paani Patasha Sorbet, on the other hand, a frozen dessert made with sweetened flavoured water, the pani puri version delivers a super sweet-and-sour kick. Gives you the delightful version of this tangy snack in the form of a dessert, the mixture of sweet and sour can never go wrong!
Pani Puri shots offer you different kinds of chutneys to go with the puris.
But there must have been somebody to think of the absolute delight of filling a ball of wheat with spiced potatoes and tangy water, right?
Here are the legends associated with the invention of this appetizing snack from India.
The Magadha Kingdom
Let’s take a long flashback to the 4th century BC and you will find yourself in the Magadha Empire in Southern Bihar. (The Magadha empire was one of the greatest countries of ancient india. It has been mentioned in Ramayana and Mahabharata, due to its significance)
Feeling like the historian Megasthenes already? This is where people first invented the lip-smacking gem of Pani Puri.
It is believed that paani-puri was first invented in Magadh. The culinary genius who invented them is lost in the pages of history,
As the legend says, there were various innovations in the traditional food dishes like chitba, tilba, chewda, etc. It is during these innovative drives that an unknown genius created the flavors and techniques of Paani Puri.
Did Draupadi Invent Pani Puri?
Another equally fascinating legend is placed in the epic Mahabharata. While we are all aware of the character of Draupadi, and the mighty five Pandava brothers.
What we don’t know about her is that she was the one who ingeniously invented Pani Puri. literally a god’s food?
The story narrates that Kunti (mother of pandavas, and mother-in-law of Draupadi) once asked Draupadi to make something for the Pandava brothers with the leftover food during their exile, to check her daughter-in-law’s management capabilities. The scarce potatoes, spices, and wheat dough helped Draupadi to produce the brilliant Pani Puri.
Congratulations! You are now aware of not only the awesome taste of this snack but also whose brainchild it actually was.
Read Also: Do You Know About the Origin of Waffles?