Panipuri aka golgappas or 'puchkas' can easily be called our national dish. Some observations about this 'king of chaat' are- 

  1.  A typical plate of panipuri would have
    - 6 small, round, fried shells made of refined flour;
    - green chutney made of mint, coriander and chillies;
    - tangy tamarind chutney
    - boiled chick peas/chana/green gram/potatoes
    and of course the spicy 'pain'. All this together is a superb combination of carbohydrate, protein, fats, fibre, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamins B1 and B6 and C.  
  2. It has about 2 grams of saturated fats as puris are deep fried. A total of about 100-120 calories, much lesser compared to Samosas (300 cals) , Pav Bhaji (440 cals) , Maggi Noodles (400 cals) or pakodas (350 cals) 
  3. A plate of panipuri can substitute for an evening meal. Though it has a very low satiety quotient it is so addictive that you never feel full with it. So rarely does one know when to stop.
  4. Panipuri has great carminative properties as it reduces acidity and spruces digestion only to be avoided only by oversensitive guts. Also ensure the 'pani' is made with clean, filtered water
  5. The tangy, spicy taste of pani puri can open up the most staid taste buds. It's the best food for any mood whether you are hungry, bored, happy or low. 'Let's have a panipuri' is equivalent to 'Let's have a drink.'