Of all the street foods available in India, the one that unites society the most is the humble, but fiery pani puri. No matter where you hail from, or how much of a hygiene freak you are, the flavourful pani puri succeeds in tempting you into consumption. This crispy round tiny bowls, packed with all that is sweet, spicy, good and holy, has the power to stir a host of feelings in us; from nostalgia to excitement to mind-numbing contentment, this powerful puri can make us deeply emotional.
For the love of this national street food, the city will be soon relishing different flavours of pani puri at this three day festival dedicated only to pani puri. To satiate the cravings of every pani puri lover, and to titillate their taste buds even further, the Pani Puri Festival organised by Curly Tales’ will be serving 15 delicious flavours. Pani Puri aficionados will get to savour options like kurkure pani puri, pizza pani puri, pav bhaji pani puri as well as Mexican and siracha pani puri. Talking about experiments with flavours, Kamiya Jani, founder, Curly Tales says, “We thought of bringing all the restaurants and chefs serving innovative flavours together and show it to the world. So, there is something for everyone, but only by being there you will know what attracts you.” If these combinations make you apprehensive, worry not, as Kamiya vouches for every flavour. “After several rounds of tasting all the flavours, we short-listed those we really liked,” she smiles.
Oreo and Nutella pani puri
However, if you are a pani puri puritan, and consider experimenting with the chat offering a sacrilege, you can treat yourself to the traditional pani puri, served by some of the most renowned vendors in the city. From Juhu’s Jacky, who has been selling pani puri since 1962; Vijay from Ghatkopar, famous for his pani puri for the past 16 years, to Pathak from Bandra, a man who has spent 30 years mixing up these mouth-watering delights and Hungry JD’s
Food truck, which will be serving nine flavours, there is indeed something for everyone.
For those with a sweet tooth, they can dig into some heavenly combinations. Patrons can try ice cream, chocolate rabri as well as oreo and aamras pani puri.
Pav bhaji pani puri
If you are the competitive sort, and take pride in your pani puri consumption prowess, you can also take part in the pani puri eating competitions. “An ultimate pani puri eater will get a special prize and a belly full of pani puri,” laughs Kamiya.
Kamiya Jani
By showcasing such a unique mix of flavours, Kamiya hopes the festival encourages people to try and develop a taste for new flavours. But the organisers aren’t stopping here. “There is lots more coming. We will be conducting an audience poll to help us understand what to host next,” she signs off.
