Sev puri
| Type | Chaat |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Mumbai or Pune, India |
| Region or state | India |
| Main ingredients | Small puri, sev, potatoes, chickpeas |
| Variations | Dahi puri |
| Similar dishes | |
Sev puri (also known as lala puri[1][a]) is an Indian snack and a type of chaat, resembling panipuri. It consists of small, round puris or flat papris topped with a filling and garnished with sev. The filling varies; it may include potatoes and chickpeas. The dish originated in either Pune or Mumbai. Dahi puri is a variant of sev puri that uses dahi (yoghurt) as a topping. Both sev puri and dahi puri are popular dishes in the street food of India, especially in Mumbai.
Preparation
Sev puri is a chaat made from a small puri that is hollowed and filled, similar to panipuri.[3] Flat papri may be used instead of round puri.[4] It is loaded with a filling that may include diced or mashed potatoes, chickpeas, and tomatoes,[3] although there is no fixed recipe.[4] The dish is then garnished with the signature ingredient, sev, which is thin, crunchy noodles.[3] Many types of sev puri add other ingredients in the fillings, such as paneer.[5]
Sev puri is usually served without sauce.[3] It uses similar ingredients to bhelpuri but does not contain puffed rice, instead being served on top of puris.[1]
Dahi puri (also called dahi sev puri or dahi batata puri) is a variant of sev puri whose filling is topped with dahi (yoghurt) and chaat masala.[6] Dahi puri may be made with the mini puri shells which are also used for panipuri,[7] or with small, flat puris.[8] The filling of dahi puri is based on bhelpuri[6] and is similar to that of panipuri.[7] It is stuffed with potatoes or chickpeas and is garnished with sev, moong dal, and coriander leaves. Some popular chutneys used with dahi puri include coriander leaf, tamarind, and date.[8][9] Sour dahi is used to complement sweet and spicy flavours of the chutneys.[6]
History and consumption
According to food writer Kunal Vijaykar, sev puri was invented in Mumbai by North Indian migrants, as a form of North Indian chaat,[10] and its ingredients are rooted in the farsan snacks of Gujarati cuisine.[1] It may have been invented by Gujarati migrants in the city.[11] However, according to Vinay MR Mishra of the Hindustan Times, sev puri and dahi puri both originated in the city of Pune.[12]
Sev puri and dahi puri are popular street foods across India; dahi puri is available in every major city.[12][13] Supermarkets also stock ready-to-eat packets of sev puri and similar snacks like bhelpuri.[14] Sev puri and dahi puri are popular in the street food of Mumbai,[4][8] available across the city.[1] Sev puri is famously sold by street vendors at the city's Juhu Beach.[15]
Notes
- ^ The term lala puri, after cricketer Lala Amarnath, is used by the restaurant of the Cricket Club of India. There is no difference between lala puri and sev puri.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d Vijayakar, Kunal (23 June 2018). "Maska Maarke: An ode to the bhel puri walla bhaiyya". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ Mulani, Rhea (24 July 2022). "CCI, the home of chicken manchurian, has more stories in its kitchen". Condé Nast Traveller. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d Elsa, Evangeline (17 May 2021). "Pani puri and chaat: Everything you need to know about the great Indian leveller". Gulf News. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Dalal, Tarla (2000). Chaat Cookbook. Gardners Books. p. 116. ISBN 978-81-86469-62-0.
- ^ "Mumbai Street Food Diaries: Paneer Sev Puri". Times Food. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Medora, Sabrina (1 April 2019). "How Snacks From Mumbai's Streets Come to Life in Columbia Heights". Eater. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ a b Bladholm, Linda (12 August 2000). The Indian Grocery Store Demystified. Macmillan Publishers. p. 167. ISBN 1580631436 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b c Trefler, Caroline (2011). Essential India. New York: Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 346. ISBN 9781400005291 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Shilcutt, Katharine (19 March 2013). "Here, Eat This: A Beginner's Guide to Indian Cuisine". Houston Press. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ^ Vijayakar, Kunal (27 November 2022). "What the Fork: What Makes the Bombay Sandwich a Truly Mumbai Dish, Writes Kunal Vijayakar". News18. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ Kishore, Moushmi (2 June 2016). "Snack time". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ a b Mishra, Vinay MR (30 May 2022). "Pune's got creativity! From badminton to Sev Puri...ideas that were born in the city". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ^ Remedios, Trina (6 March 2012). "Street food: Fast, yummy, healthy?". Times of India. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "Mumbai: A gastronomic's paradise!". The Times of India. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ Sood, Akhil (1 June 2019). "Golgappa, pani puri, phuchka: the little world of chaat". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 November 2025.