Pani puri is one of India’s most beloved street foods, consisting of a crispy shell stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas or spices and chillies, then served in flavored water. Also referred to as Gol Gappe, Pani ke Bataashe or Puchka; an Indore restaurant, set an unprecedented world record by serving 51 different flavors on July 12, 2015, inspiring Google Doodle today.
This interactive Doodle allows users to assist a street vendor team in filling orders for pani puris by choosing puris that meet customers’ desired flavor and quantity preferences. Furthermore, this interactive piece honors and recognizes their hard work despite often being underpaid and overworked.
Why Does This Mean a Lot?
Google Doodles are unique interactive artwork and games created by the search engine to recognize special occasions, holidays and birthdays of influential figures such as artists, pioneers and scientists who have significantly contributed to society. Not limited to just Google’s homepage, these doodles can also be seen across YouTube, Gmail and its mobile app products. Google has once again honored a popular Indian dish through its Doodle. Last time around, they used their home page to honor steelpan music popular in Jamaican and Trinidadian cultures.
Street Pani Puri – The Snack Pride of India
Google Doodle celebrates pani puri, an iconic street food found throughout India. Also referred to as Gol Gappe in the North, Pani ke Bataashe in Uttar Pradesh and Puchka in West Bengal, the dish is beloved among all. The pani puri masala is filled with mashed potato, boiled moong or chana and spices/chillies along with sweet tamarind and green chutneys and served topped with deep-fried wheat flour puffs for added texture, it makes an irresistibly delicious street snack.
It is a dish that is so popular and crave-worthy that one can feel the urge to eat it only by seeing the pani puri photos. And, as strange as it may seem, pani puri images remain trending on the internet! So much so that “pani puri near me” is a popular search on Google, and somehow if that doesn’t work out, pani puri machines are now available in the market for the convenience of foodies.
Calories Associated with the Snack
Pani puris may taste excellent, but their ingredients can be highly caloric and fattening due to high salt and fat contents. Boondi (deep-fried dough) adds hundreds of extra calories while potatoes and chana contain starches contributing to weight gain. To reduce these pani puri calories, you can also make it at your home to remain healthy while satisfying your taste buds.
How to Make It Healthy?
To create a healthier version of this classic dish, switch out whole wheat (atta) for refined white flour and reduce oil and salt usage in your pani puri recipe. Avoid adding ice cubes, as this could dilute the flavors. Incorporating amchur (dried mango powder) adds a natural tanginess that counteracts the sweetness of other ingredients in this dish. Furthermore, having fruit such as apple or papaya later in the day may help flush off extra sodium from your body.
