Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Ghost in the shell

Whether you’re biting down on a pani puri, golgappa or phuchka, it’s the puri that elevates the experience

Can you think of one Indian dish that you can eat on the streets, and also at fancy, Michelin-starred Indian restaurants all over the world? And it is delicious, no matter where you eat it?

Different kinds of pani at Manish Mehrotra’s Indian Accent. (Indian Accent)

Most restaurants outsource their puris from suppliers, who almost always use sooji, since it lasts longer

The dahi puri at Mumbai restaurant Soam uses puris made in-house from a mix of sooji and atta. (Soam)

Chef Atul Kochhar brought dishes such as Crispy Rice Pani Puri to London’s attention (Atul Kochhar)