Dahi Puriदही पूरी

Name: Dahi Puri
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Uttar Pradesh
Ingredients: 24 shells ready-made hollow puri shells (golgappa/pani puri shells); 2 medium potato, boiled and diced small; ½ cup chickpeas (chana), boiled; 2 cups plain yogurt (dahi), whisked smooth; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1½ teaspoons chaat masala; 1 teaspoon cumin powder, roasted; ½ teaspoon red chili powder; 4 tablespoons tamarind chutney (imli ki chutney); 4 tablespoons green chutney (coriander-mint); ½ cup fine sev (crispy chickpea noodles); 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds or diced mango (optional, seasonal)

⏱ Prep 20m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegetarian

Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)

Dahi Puri is the cool, refreshing cousin of Pani Puri — hollow crispy shells filled with spiced potato and chickpeas, then topped with a generous pour of cold sweetened yogurt, three chutneys, and a cascade of sev. It is Chaat as an experience: multiple textures and flavors in a single bite, the crunchy puri softening under the yogurt just enough before you pop the whole thing in your mouth. A staple of UP and Maharashtra street food stalls, it has traveled with the Desi diaspora and shows up at every potluck table where someone cares about doing chaat properly.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪ready-made hollow puri shells (golgappa/pani puri shells)24 shells
▪potato, boiled and diced small2 medium
▪chickpeas (chana), boiled½ cup
▪plain yogurt (dahi), whisked smooth2 cups
▪sugar2 tablespoons
▪chaat masala1½ teaspoons
▪cumin powder, roasted1 teaspoon
▪red chili powder½ teaspoon
▪tamarind chutney (imli ki chutney)4 tablespoons
▪green chutney (coriander-mint)4 tablespoons
▪fine sev (crispy chickpea noodles)½ cup
▪pomegranate seeds or diced mango (optional, seasonal)2 tablespoons

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Ready-made hollow puri shells (labeled golgappa, pani puri, or phuchka shells) are available at Indian grocery stores, often vacuum-packed and pre-fried. Frying your own from scratch is possible but the packaged version is standard even in India's best chaat shops.
Sev (fine chickpea noodle crisps) is available at Indian grocery stores. In a pinch, finely crushed plain papdi (flat crackers) add a similar crunch. Do not substitute with standard Western breadcrumbs — the texture is completely different.
Tamarind chutney is sold ready-made at Indian grocery stores (Swad, Maggi, and Pataks all make reliable versions). For green chutney, blend fresh coriander, mint, green chili, garlic, and lemon juice with a little water — it takes 3 minutes and keeps refrigerated for a week.

Method

1Whisk together the yogurt, sugar, and a pinch of salt until completely smooth. Refrigerate while you prepare the other components — cold yogurt is essential.
2Toss the diced boiled potato and chickpeas with ½ teaspoon chaat masala, a pinch of red chili powder, and salt. Mix gently.
3Working quickly (dahi puri waits for no one), gently crack a small hole in the top of each puri shell using your thumb.
4Fill each puri with a small spoonful of the potato-chickpea mixture.
5Spoon the cold, sweetened yogurt generously over each filled puri — it should pool on top and drizzle down the sides.
6Add ½ teaspoon tamarind chutney and a smaller amount of green chutney on top of the yogurt on each puri.
7Dust with chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder. Finish with a generous pinch of sev and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately — dahi puri is eaten the moment it is assembled.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.