Gol Gupas: Mumbai’s Iconic Crispy Street Snack Guide

Ingredients

For the gol-guppa stuffing

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin chickpeas, drained
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

For the gol-guppa water

• 4 heaped tbsp tamarind chutney
• 25g/1oz coriander
• 15g/½oz mint leaves
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp black salt
• 1 large lemon, juice only
• 1 heaped tsp sugar

For the Kachumber salad

• 1 tomato, deseeded and finely diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• ¼ cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh mint
• ½ lemon, juice only
• 1 tsp olive oil
• handful pomegranate seeds
• salt, to taste

To serve

• 50 ready-made gol-guppa shells

Method

1. Begin by making the stuffing. Put a pan of salted water on to boil and cook the potatoes until tender. Drain and allow them to cool slightly so they are easy to handle.

2. Dice the cooled potatoes into roughly 1cm/½in cubes. Combine them in a bowl with the drained chickpeas, chaat masala and chopped coriander. Use a fork to lightly mash and mix, just enough to break down some of the chickpeas while keeping texture. Set the mixture aside.

3. Make the gol-guppa water by placing the tamarind chutney, coriander, mint leaves, green chillies, chaat masala, black salt, lemon juice and sugar in a blender with 800ml (about 1½ pints) of ice water. Blend until smooth, then pass the liquid through a fine sieve into a jug. Chill in the refrigerator until needed.

4. Prepare the Kachumber salad by tossing together the diced tomato, red onion, cucumber, chopped coriander and mint, lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate seeds and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as required, then set aside.

5. To serve, carefully make a small hole in each gol-guppa shell using your thumb. Spoon a teaspoon of the potato-and-chickpea mixture into each shell. Pour the chilled gol-guppa water into the shells until they are about three-quarters full, then eat immediately so the shells stay crisp. Serve the Kachumber salad on the side for a fresh, tangy contrast.