This sweet, spicy, tart, refreshing and mouth-puckering flavorful version of traditional pani puri made with cranberry juice is the one to enjoy this season as well as any time! With Halloween right around the corner, these are ideal to serve as "vampire blood pani puri".
Why this pani puri?
Have you wondered about a refreshing snack which satisfies every kind of flavor craving that you might have?
Pani puri is a traditional snack that is made with bite size semolina puri (puffed fried bread) loaded with potatoes, sprouts, garbanzo beans filled with a pani(water made with tamarind, mint, cilantro, jaggery, chaat masala, black salt etc). This snack is absolutely divine and can be made with a seasonal flair to the flavor. Instead of the traditional tamarind based pani, use the store-bought cranberry juice. And another advantage is that it saves time making it easier and quicker to fix a yummy snack with less effort. Don’t you want that?
Having these cranberry pani puri provides you a unique flavor experience. The loaded puri popping inside your mouth releasing the sweet, tangy, spicy, refreshing cranberry pani and toppings results in a flavor explosion chain reaction. This will prompt you to pick the next serving! Trust me, it is that delicious! Plus the sprouts, sev, and garbanzos give proteins and the cranberry juice adds to the health benefits. This is amazing in all possible ways.
When to make this?
You can make this for any day if you have cranberry juice. You can serve it for a evening snack, party appetizer, etc. Make it for Diwali party. Or for Halloween. The red colored cranberry pani looks like blood and this is apt to include in your Halloween Party menu.
Ingredients
To make these, puffed semolina puris that are crisp but with a hollow inside is a must requirement. These are available in Indian groceries. Black salt gives a unique and piquant flavor that extends a one of a kind flavor profile to all chaat recipes. Along with this, chaat masala and pani puri masala mix are also used in this recipe and these are also available in Indian grocery shops.
Sev, onion, and pomegranate are optional but I highly recommend those. Sev are fine garbanzo flour noodles, and are available in Indian stores. This adds to the crunchy texture as well as protein profile.
Canned garbanzos can also be used. I make sprouts often at home and this not only adds to proteins but also a crisp texture bite as well.
Mint and cilantro add to the aroma and extend a perfect refreshing flavor balance to cranberry or regular pani puri. Do not miss these amazing fresh herbs.
Serving Suggestions
These bite-sized panipuri are great to serve any day. These can be great snacks as well as appetizers. These cranberry pani puris will be a great choice to serve during fall entertaining. This can be set up like a bar wherein people can add their toppings as desired, fill with cranberry pani and pop into their mouth.
Alternatively, serve the pani in shot glasses with a filled puri on top and this would be a huge hit.
Since the cranberry pani looks red, this is also a great idea to have on the menu for Halloween parties, making this an ideal and scary “vampire blood pani puri”.
With addictive flavors, and a wide array of serving options, these cranberry pani puri should be the choice to make for any occasion.
More Cranberry Recipes
Fall is the best season according to me. It brings with it lovely colors in nature, great weather, as well as great produce. I wait for fresh cranberries to make this spicy savory Cranberry Rice or Cranberry Rasam. Have you tried my cranberry apple salsa. I highly recommend this with a few chips for the best snack you could ever dream of. Check the blog for more cranberry recipes as well as the links below where my fellow bloggers are sharing cranberrylicious recipes.
Cranberry Pani Puri/Vampire Blood pani puri
Ingredients
For Cranberry Pani
- 3 cups Cranberry juice
- ½ cup Cilantro
- ½ cup Mint
- ½ tsp Black salt
- ½ tsp Cumin powder
- ¾ tsp Chat masala
- 1½ tsp Pani puri masala
- 1-2 Thai chili
For potato mixture
- 1 cup Potato cooked, cubed or mashed slightly
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black salt
- ½ tsp Black salt
- ½ tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp Cilantro chopped
For assembling
- 25-30 Puris
- ½ cup Moong dhal sprouts
- 1 cup Garbanzo beans cooked
- ½ cup Onions finely chopped
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Sev
- ⅓ cup Pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Blend cilantro, mint, black salt, cumin powder, chaat masala, pain puri masala to a coarse texture. Add 2-3 tablespoons of cranberry juice and blend to a nearly smooth puree.
- Add this to the cranberry juice to make cranberry pani or water.
- To the boiled potatoes, add cumin powder, chaat masala, black salt, salt, and cilantro. Mash together to a coarse texture.
- To Assemble: Poke a hole in the puri. Add half a teaspoon of potato mixture, a couple of garbanzos, some sprouts, onions, and top with sev, pomegranate and cilantro. Repeat with the rest of the puris.
- Pour about 3 tablespoons of cranberry pani.
- Serve immediately.
Wendy Klik says
I always learn so much about new ingredients and dishes when I read your posts Radha. Thanks.
Hezzi-D says
I like the sweet with the spicy ingredients in this dish. Yum
Inger says
Looks yummy! And such a great recipe for the Halloween timeframe!
Christie says
Those look so delicious and fun! Perfect for a holiday party.
Neha (My Culinary Expressions) says
Radha, you have brilliantly maneuvered a classic pani puri towards Halloween showstopper. I am tempted to try out this cranberry pani puri right away. Why wait?
magicalingrdnts says
You made my day Neha! Thank you!
Kalyani says
My Pani puri loving family would love this at the chaat set up. Looks spooky n perfect - esp for Halloween .
magicalingrdnts says
Thank you Kalyani!
Mayuri Patel says
Radha I am a big fan of cranberries. What a brilliant idea to use cranberry juice instead of raw mango to give the sour flavour to the pani puri. Also like the idea of blood red pani .. perfect for Halloween party.
magicalingrdnts says
Yes, Thanks Mayuri!