Panipuri, or Pani puri, is a snack synonymous with the beaches of Mumbai. However, it is also very popular in all other parts known by many names like golgappa (plural golguppe) in North India, Foochka (Puchka) in West Bengal, Gupchup in some central parts of India like Hyderabad.

It is made from small, round, puffed, hard puris which form the 'container' or shell, and mashed potatoes and cooked chick-peas along with some finely cut onions, with salt and pepper added, and the chutneys are the stuffing. Normally, there are two chutneys, the hot and the sweet, each in a large round mud (or, nowadays, metal) vessel; although sometimes there is only one. The Chutneys are what is referred to by Pani, which means water in Hindi (the main ingredient of the Chutney), and they contain tamarind and fresh mint, as well as spices including cumin and black salt.

The serving person will lightly crush open the puris on one side, put into it the stuffing, and then dunk it into both the chutneys and serve you the puri, which is now full. You have to put the entire puri into your mouth at one go and bite into it. This will release the barrage of different tastes into your mouth.