Bhaiyya, ek Sukha Puri dena!
If you say these five magical words to any Sev Puri or Pani Puri vendor in India, he will give you a free Sukha Puri after you finish savoring your Sev Puri or Pani Puri.
And if you’ve already tried these words, I’m sure you’re laughing out loud at the moment!
For those who don’t know, it’s pretty much an unsaid rule amongst foodies where you must ask for a complimentary Puri as soon as you are done eating the snack.
However, nowadays many vendors offer a Sukha Poori before you even ask for one.
But if the bhaiyya doesn’t give you a free Puri, you know what to do, right? 🙂
So, what exactly is Sukha Puri?
As the name says, Sukha means Dry in Hindi.
In this variation, you don’t have to use any wet ingredients like Chaat Chutneys or Yogurt. It’s just a plain Puri with some Potato filling and Nylon Sev.
Sometimes, it is also called as Sukha Masala Puri or Masala Puri or Sukha Papdi.
The Sukha Papdi variation is generally served with Sev Puri’s Papdi instead of Pani Puri’s Puri. That’s the only difference in the dish.
Now, let’s take a look at the quick and easy recipe below.
Sukha Puri
Ingredients
- 12 Pani Puri’s Puris
- 1 Potato (Aloo); medium sized boiled
- 1/2 Onion (Pyaz); medium sized finely chopped
- Coriander Leaves (Dhaniya Patta) finely chopped
- 2 tsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirch Powder)
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder)
- 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala Powder
- 1-2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice (Nimbu ka Ras)
- Nylon Sev as required
- Salt as per your taste
Instructions
- Get a bowl and add the boiled Potatoes, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Chaat Masala Powder, Salt, and Lemon Juice to it.
- Mash this Potato and spices mixture thoroughly. Make sure there are no lumps in it.
- Keep the mashed mixture aside.
- Place the puris in a serving plate.
- Now, add the Potato mixture, chopped Onions, Chaat Masala Powder to it.
- Finally, sprinkle some Nylon Sev and garnish it with chopped Coriander Leaves.
- Serve the Sukha Poori.
Video
Notes
- It also tastes good with some Coriander Chutney and Imli ki Khatti Meethi Chutney.
Tips To Make Sukha Puri
- Similar to Bhel Puri, keep all the ingredients ready so that you can assemble and serve it quickly.
- Do not make your Sukha Puri in advance, as the Puri might turn soft due to moisture in Boiled Potatoes and Coriander Leaves.
- Sprinkle some Chaat Masala Powder on top of this dish. It will help enhance the overall taste and flavors.
- Although it is prepared using plain boiled Potatoes, you can add your own twist to make it more interesting. You can make a different type of stuffing (for eg., Mexican Salsa) to surprise everyone with your creativity. Check out the following section to get more ideas for stuffings.
Different Types Of Stuffings For Sukha Puri
Mexican Salsa
If you love Mexican food, I highly recommend you try using Mexican Salsa as a stuffing for this dish.
It will completely change the flavors of this simple snack.
Samosa Masala
The stuffing we use to make Samosas at home can also be used in Sukha Puris.
This spicy and tasty Vegetable Masala stuffing will add more character to Sukha Masala Puri.
Cheese Aloo Masala
If you don’t want to try something spicy, you can simply use cheese in your Potato stuffing.
Yes, the kids will love this combination, too!
And if you don’t feel like preparing a separate masala, no worries. Just grate some Cheese after adding the boiled Potatoes and Sev to Puris. It should do the trick for you.
Mix Fruit Salad Stuffing
In this type of stuffing, you need to be a little careful while choosing the fruits.
You should select fruits that have a firm shape and sweet-tangy taste. Here’s a list of fruits you can use for this stuffing –
- Pineapple
- Apple
- Grapes
- Banana
- Pomegranates
- Watermelon
You can also use seasonal fruits like Mangoes and Chikoos, but make sure they are just perfectly ripened.
For the stuffing, you don’t have to prepare anything special here. Just make a simple fruit salad in a bowl and use it for your Sukha Puri.
Tip – You can also use the same stuffing to prepare a Fruit Pani Puri. For Pani Puri, you can use any fresh juices or syrups to replace the spicy and tangy water.
Do try out this variation. I’m sure you will love this combination of crunchy Puris and fresh fruits.
If you have any ideas to twist this dish further, do let me know in the comments section below.
Update Notes: Updated on May 2020 with more information.
Fun story about the complementary Sukha Puri! I’ll have to keep that tucked away. I’ve never tried Sukha Puri, but these sound quite tasty. They’d be perfect appetizers for whenever we have friends over to visit. I’ll have to stop by the Indian grocery store here in town and see if I can find puris!
Haha indeed, David! And that’s the fun of having street food in India.
Talking about Sukha Puri, it’s a perfect snack for those who are not used to spicy Indian snacks. I’m sure you will enjoy the combination of crunchy Puris with mashed Potato mixture.