If you’ve ever eaten pani puri (golgappa), you know that the true magic lies not just in the crispy puris or the spiced filling but in the pani puri tamarind water and spicy green coriander and chilli water. This tangy, spicy tamarind liquid bursts in your mouth and ties the whole experience together. Without tamarind water and green pani, pani puri would just be fried shells with potatoes. With it, it becomes India’s most beloved street food snack.
In this post I will show you how to make tamarind water just like they do at the best street food stalls in India.
What Is Pani Puri Tamarind Water?
Tamarind water, or imli ka pani, is a spiced, tangy liquid made by steeping tamarind pulp in water and whisking it with spices such as roasted cumin, chaat masala, and green chillies. It’s a key ingredient in pani puri, adding the sour punch that balances the heat and crunch.
But pani puri tamarind water isn’t only for pani puri. It’s also used in chaat recipes, as a dipping sauce, or as a souring agent in curries and stews.
A Little History of Tamarind in Indian Cuisine
Tamarind has been used in India for over 2,500 years. The word tamarind comes from the Arabic tamar hind, meaning “date of India.” Native to tropical Africa, the tamarind tree spread to India centuries ago, where it became integral to cooking.
In Ayurveda, tamarind was praised for aiding digestion and cooling the body. Over time, it became a staple souring agent in regional cuisines:
- In South India, tamarind is used in rasam, sambar, and puliyodarai (tamarind rice).
- In Bengal, it flavours chutneys and fish curries.
- In street food across North India, tamarind pulp forms the base of chutneys and pani puri water.
So, when you sip that spicy-sour tamarind water in pani puri, you’re tasting centuries of culinary tradition.
Uses of Pani Puri Tamarind Water
Though we think of it mainly for pani puri, tamarind water has plenty of other uses:
- Chaat: Drizzle over bhel puri, sev puri, or dahi puri.
- Marinades: Use as a tangy base for chicken or fish marinades.
- Curries: Add a spoonful to dals, rasam, or fish curry for depth.
- Drinks: Some regions even make cooling tamarind sherbet with sugar and spices.
- Dipping Sauce: Serve with pakoras or samosas for a sharp contrast. When using in this way, I usually don't add as much water to the mixture so that it is thicker.
Ingredients
High quality ingredients are essential for this pani puri tamarind water recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. I recommend getting everything measured out and ready before starting.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Block of tamarind
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Salt (or to taste)
- Chaat masala
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- Mint sauce
- Coriander (cilantro) leaves
- Sugar
Step by step photos
Making tamarind water for pani puri is really easy, as you will see from my step by step photos. Please sroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for ingredient measurements.
- Step 1: Cover the block tamarind in a bowl with about 250ml (1 cups) boiling water. Allow it to sit and soften for 2 hours.
- Step 2: After two hours, use your hand to break the tamarind apart. This will thicken the water which you will dilute later.
- Step 3: As you break the block tamarind apart, you will notice that it is quite fibrous and full of seeds.
- Step 4: Pour it all into a sieve. This might need to be done in batches. You want to press it all through the sieve, leaving the seeds and stringy fibers behind.
- Step 5: This will take some time. You want to get as much of the tamarind into through the sieve as you can for optimum flavour.
- Step 6: Add their mint sauce, ground spices, chopped coriander and salt and sugar to taste and whisk it all together. This is a concentrated tamarind water, perfect for freezing or storing in your fridge.
- Step 7: Stir or whisk it all together. To serve, you will need to add about 750ml (3 cups) of fresh water. That’s a lot I know but you could freeze the concentrate in smaller amounts and use as needed, adding the water once defrosted.
- Be sure to taste and adjust. You want a delicious mixture of sweet, savoury, sour and spicy.
Useful Equipment
You probably have all the equipment need to make this tamarind water. The following equipment will make your job easier.
Fine Strainer: Essential for removing tamarind fibres.
Mixing Bowl and Jug: To combine and chill the pani.
Glass Bottles or Jars: For storing tamarind water in the fridge.
Ice Cube Trays: Great for freezing portions.
Storage Instructions
Tamarind water tastes best fresh, but you can make it ahead.
Concentrate Option: Make a thick tamarind concentrate and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Dilute with chilled water and spices when needed.
Fridge: Store in an airtight bottle or jar for up to 2–3 days. Stir before using, as spices tend to settle.
Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays for up to 1 month. Defrost a few cubes whenever you crave pani puri.
Top Tip
Balance is key! The best tamarind water has sourness, spice, salt, and a hint of sweetness. Taste and adjust before serving.
Final Thoughts
Tamarind water is the back bone of pani puri. Its sour-spicy punch transforms a simple potato-stuffed puri into a flavour explosion. Making it at home is simple, and the reward is enormous. You get freshness, balance, and the satisfaction of recreating India’s most loved street food in your own kitchen.
Whether you’re planning a pani puri party, adding zing to chaats, or giving your curries a lift, tamarind water is an indispensable trick in your cooking arsenal.
So next time you crave pani puri or golgappas, skip the ready-made pani mixes. Soak some tamarind and whip up this classic. One sip, and you’ll understand why it is so popular.
FAQ
Add a little jaggery or sugar to balance the sharpness.
Yes! Store-bought tamarind paste works well. Just dilute with water and adjust spicing. You will need to experiment but if you taste as you go, you'll get there.
Yes. All of the spice is in the Kashmiri chilli powder. Use less or omit it completely.
Highly recommended
While you’re here, why not give some of these popular recipes a try?
Have you tried this recipe?
If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.
If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.
Tamarind Water for Pani Puri
There are many uses for this tamarind water, thought the most popular use for it is to add it to pani puri. This is a delicious black pani you need to try soon.
Ingredients
- 200g (7oz) block of tamarind
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tsp chaat masala
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp mint sauce
- 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves Sugar, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Tamarind is quite fibrous and there are usually seeds in the block, so it needs to soak to break down the fibre and release the edible pulp. Place the tamarind into a large bowl and cover with hot water – about 200ml (generous 3⁄4 cup) should do.
- Let it sit for 2 hours. After this time the tamarind will be really soft.
- Using your hands, squeeze the tamarind until it melts into the water and breaks away from the seeds and fibres.
- Pass this brown tamarind water through a fine sieve into another bowl, pressing down as you do to get all of the delicious, sweet-and-sour pulp out.
- Now add 750ml (3 cups) of fresh water to the tamarind water. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. This will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 1 week. It can also be frozen.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 486mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 1g
greg games says
hello dan
I have been a fan of yours for quite a while now. all recipes cooked have turned out very well. could you please tell me if this tamarind pani would make a nice chicken chaat? if so at what quantity, or do you have recipe for the old style chaat.years ago the chicken chaat around my area was darker without the usual red colour that you may find today.
thanks for the great recipes, kind regards greg.
Dan Toombs says
Hi Greg
Thanks for getting in touch. This recipe is for pani (water) so it wouldn't be right, as is, for most chaats. That said, add less water so that it is quite thick and it will work really well.
Cheers,
Dan