Pani puri is one of the most cherished Indian street foods. however, a recent viral video has taken the comfort snack to new heights. Head Chef of Mumbai’s Masque Restaurant, Varun Totlani collaborated with a Bangkok eatery to give the classic pani-puri an unexpected twist – Red Ants as topping! SHOCKED or SURPRISED? Yes, Red ants are considered a popular delicacy in some parts of India.
In an Instagram post, Totlani described the creation as a ‘Perfect crossover between India and Thailand.’ The short video featured Thai chefs and Totlani preparing the fusion – puris stuffed with Thai heirloom tomatoes and fermented beans. Meanwhile, the pani was flavoured with coconut milk, and aromatics, garnished with tangy red ants from Chhattisgarh in Jharkhand.
The IG post carried the caption, “We brought the best of both worlds to this Pani Puri. The puri is from India, the stuffing is Thai heirloom tomatoes and fermented beans, and the pani is coconut milk with tons of aromatics and topped with tangy fire ants from Chattisgarh.”
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Well, the bold crossover experiment has sparked a debate online with many pani-puri lovers expressing their disappointment over the weird ingredient used in the dish. Many social media users have even slammed Totlani for ‘ruining’ the traditional recipe and hurting their attachment to this iconic snack.
Although a few people loved the creative fusion, others believed that the food could not be messed with. A user wrote, “No Thanks.” Another user commented, “Panipuri is our emotion, pls don’t play with it.”
A third remarked, “Why, why, why, just because you can doesn’t mean you should !!!” A fourth user hilariously said, “Tag all pani-puri-lovers.”
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