Sev puri, a beloved Bombay street food, was once described by a friend of mine as “a party in your mouth.” It is a classic Bombay street food with delightful flavors and textures. The interplay of two classic chaat chutneys adds to the taste adventure – the tangy tamarind sweet and sour chutney beautifully contrasts with the refreshing coolness of the cilantro-mint chutney. A dash of black salt imparts a subtle touch of savory goodness, making this one of my all-time favorite street foods.
About the Recipe
Sev Puri is a layering of chutneys, potato, onion, and sev, on a crispy puri that is served on streets, parks, and many places as an easy-to-grab bite that is packed with flavor.
Sev Puri originates in Bombay. It is a common street food; anytime you are out and about, you might find a sev puri stall. When I was a kid, we had a sev puri vendor who would come by our house every day at 4 pm. We would run out and buy some from him at least once a week.
Sev puri is a fantastic introduction to Indian street food for people who are unfamiliar and a great nostalgic experience for people who are. I love taking it to potlucks and introducing it to people who have never had it. It is always a hit.
In a party setting, these are usually assembled by the guests as they snack on them – you don’t want to make them ahead of time because the chutneys will make the crackers soggy. I like to provide an instruction card for my guests to make them feel comfortable. Guests can control portions and leave out anything they might not like.
Sev Puri without the Puri
I almost always make these the traditional way, using puris, but I have a couple of alternatives to share. In the US, if you want to buy puris, you have to go to the Indian store, where they are easily found in the snack aisle. However, if you have all of the other ingredients on hand, you can also make these with Ritz crackers (aka Monaco biscuits). The difference in texture is noticeable, but it is still so delicious!
Gluten-Free Sev Puri
A more recent alternative for me is these chickpea and pea crackers from Trader Joe’s. They are a lot more firm and crispy than Ritz crackers. With the use of chickpea and pea flour, they sound like they could be Indian already. They don’t taste like sev puri, but they have the crunch and work as a fantastic substitute. Also, unlike sev puris, they are gluten-free for those sensitive to gluten.
Ingredients
Puri – a type of cracker made with wheat flour and fried until crisp. I use store-bought, and enjoy this with alternatives like Ritz (Monaco) crackers or, most recently Trader Joe’s “Crisp Crunchy Crisps” made from peas and chickpeas that are gluten-free.
Sev – tiny crunchy noodles made from besan (chickpea flour), also store-bought, from an Indian store.
Boiled potato – simple boiled potato for a soft texture. You can make this however you like, in the microwave, boiled, with a pressure cooker, air fryer, etc.
Tamarind chutney – sweet and sour chutney, common in chaat.
Chaat Masala – a spice blend featuring kala namak (sanchar / black salt) with a funky sulfury aroma.
Green Mint Chutney – frequently featured with street food.
Onions
Cilantro
Serving Sev Puri
Sev puri is best eaten immediately after assembly because the wet chutneys will soak into the puri and start to make it soggy. In a group setting, it is best to serve it with each ingredient in separate bowls. For parties where the guests are unfamiliar with sev puri, I will put out a little sign explaining how to make it.
Sev puri is typically eaten as a snack on its own. However, it would be welcome next to a collection of snack foods like bhel, samosa, and pani puri. It’s also great served with lemonade (pomegranate lemonade), or at a cocktail party, perhaps a cilantro gin and tonic or a mint summer shandy.
Prepping Ahead
- Chutneys are easily made ahead of time. Green chutney will last 5 days in the refrigerator, and the tamarind chutney for up to a week. Both can be frozen to last months.
- Potatoes can be boiled the night before and warmed through before serving.
- Onions can be chopped the day before and stored in the refrigerator.
- Cilantro you can prepare a couple of hours ahead.
- Sev and puri are shelf stable and need no special prep.
Sev Puri
Ingredients
- 12 flat crispy wheat puris
- ½ cup boiled potato diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro-mint chutney
- 2 tbsp tamarind chutney
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Pinch chaat masala
Instructions
- Place the puris on a plate.
- Add a few pieces of potato to each sev puri. Push them down a little to help them stick to the puri.
- Add a pinch of chaat masala to the potato.
- Add a dollop of cilantro-mint chutney to each puri, followed by a dollop of tamarind chutney.
- Top with a sprinkling of finely chopped raw onion, sev, and chopped cilantro.