Pani puri

Pani Puri, also known as golgappa, is a hollow, crunchy shell which is then filled with a combination of seasoned potato filling and a mint, cilantro, green chili, ginger, cumin powder, tamarind and spicy masala liquid. Normally, this food has some sev, onions and tomatoes to spruce up the flavor and texture. When the dish is to be prepared for a special occasion, some people will put sprigs of coriander on top to tie the dish together. This chaat food introduces a sense of competition because the challenge is to eat the shell whole. It is considered a success if the eater can fit the entire shell in their mouth and without spitting it out, which if you ask me, is hilarious.

My personal restaurant pick can be found for $6.50 at Dilli Chaat Corner on Manchester Road. Just don’t go before dinner, or you might not have room for the rest of your meal.

LADD REPORT: “This chaat is the spiciest so far,” Ladd said. “The masala liquid didn’t look very spicy and there was a lot of it in my chaat, but it gave me a little kick in the taste buds.” 

Ladd’s rating: 6/10