In one corner of the restaurant's kitchen, spicy mashed potatoes, creamy chickpeas, and tangy, spicy mint water are stuffed into a 3-centimeter hollow, fried wheat shell, known as pani puri.

"Gulping down the shell is like a burst of flavors from the universe in my mouth. The heat of the pepper, the coolness of the mint, the salty sauce, the sweet and sour yogurt, along with a medley of special herbs and spices — it's a magical experience," says Xiao Mo, 33, an Indian cuisine enthusiast in Beijing.

The popular Indian street foods have gained traction in Chinese cities, with local youths eagerly embracing the exotic flavors of South Asia. On Chinese social media, the hashtag #IndianCrispy-Ball has become a growing trend, reflecting a challenge to explore Indian cuisine, particularly the beloved street food, pani puri.

Even the online adventure game Genshin Impact, produced by Chinese company HoYoverse, which boasts a fan base of 60 million, features pani puri in the fictional nation Sumeru.