Red ant pani puri? Viral Indo-Thai crossover dish sparks mixed reactions

The culinary world is witnessing an unconventional twist on a classic Indian street food: pani puri topped with fire ants.

2 min readNew DelhiOct 26, 2024 04:06 PM IST

Viral Indo-Thai 'red ant' pani puri

Pani puri has a cherished place in India’s street food scene, but a recent viral video has taken it to surprising new heights. In a collaboration between Mumbai’s Masque Restaurant and a Bangkok eatery, chef Varun Totlani introduced a daring fusion: red ants as a topping on pani puri. Yes, you read that right! In some parts of India, these ants are considered a delicacy, and now they’re adding an unexpected crunch to the classic snack.

Totlani described this crossover as the “ideal fusion of India and Thailand.” In the viral Instagram video, Thai chefs and Totlani prepare the dish –– puris filled with Thai heirloom tomatoes and fermented beans. The pani, flavoured with coconut milk and aromatics, is topped off with tangy fire ants from Chhattisgarh.

Watch the video:

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A post shared by Varun Totlani (@varuntotlani)

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The video, with over 90,000 views and 1,000 likes, has sparked a range of reactions. While some viewers were unimpressed, commenting, “No thank you!” and “Pani puri is an emotion for Indians, don’t ruin it. TQ!”, others found the dish intriguing. “Seems interesting,” one user wrote, while another commented, “Would love to try.”

This unique ingredient isn’t entirely new to Indian cuisine. Earlier this year, kai chutney, a traditional dish from Odisha made with red weaver ants, received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This dish is prized for its nutritional value, offering essential minerals like zinc, protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin B-12, which are believed to aid in healthy brain development.

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