Mumbai’s Favorite Street Food at Your Fingertips
Vada Pav, often referred to as the “Indian Burger,” is a beloved street food from Mumbai. It’s a spicy potato fritter (vada) sandwiched between a soft bun (pav) and slathered with a variety of chutneys. The combination of flavors and textures makes it a crowd favorite, and now you can recreate this iconic snack at home with this easy recipe.
Ingredients:
For the Vada (Potato Fritter):
- 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger, grated
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt to taste
- A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
For the Batter:
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- Salt to taste
- Water (as needed for the batter consistency)
- Oil for deep frying
For the Chutneys:
Garlic Chutney:
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup grated coconut
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- A few drops of lemon juice
Green Chutney:
- 1 cup fresh coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 green chili
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Water (as needed for blending)
Sweet Tamarind Chutney (Optional):
- 1/2 cup tamarind pulp
- 1/2 cup jaggery, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- A pinch of black salt
For Assembling:
- 6 pav buns (soft dinner rolls)
- 2-3 green chilies, slit and fried (optional)
- Butter or oil for toasting the pav
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Potato Filling (Vada):
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Add chopped green chili, grated ginger, minced garlic, and a pinch of asafoetida. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Add turmeric powder and salt. Stir well.
- Add the mashed potatoes and mix until the spices are evenly distributed. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat. Let the mixture cool slightly.
- Once cooled, divide the potato mixture into equal portions and shape them into round patties (vada).
2. Prepare the Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine gram flour, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt. Add water gradually to form a smooth, thick batter that can coat the vadas evenly.
3. Fry the Vadas:
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- Dip each potato patty in the gram flour batter, ensuring it’s fully coated, and carefully slide it into the hot oil.
- Fry the vadas until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
4. Prepare the Chutneys:
Garlic Chutney:
- Blend garlic, grated coconut, red chili powder, salt, and lemon juice into a coarse paste.
Green Chutney:
- Blend coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chili, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, and a little water until smooth.
Sweet Tamarind Chutney (Optional):
- In a saucepan, combine tamarind pulp and jaggery. Cook on low heat until the jaggery dissolves.
- Add cumin powder and black salt, and cook until the chutney thickens slightly. Let it cool.
5. Assemble the Vada Pav:
- Slice the pav buns horizontally but not all the way through, keeping them connected at the back.
- Spread green chutney on one side of the pav and garlic chutney on the other side. If using, add a little sweet tamarind chutney as well.
- Place a hot vada inside the pav and press gently.
- If you like it extra spicy, you can add a fried green chili on top of the vada.
6. Serve:
- Serve the vada pav hot with extra chutneys on the side and a few fried green chilies for those who enjoy an extra kick.
Tips for the Perfect Vada Pav:
- Spicy Factor: Adjust the number of chilies in the potato filling and chutneys according to your spice tolerance.
- Soft Pav: Toast the pav buns lightly with butter for an added layer of flavor and texture.
- Crunchy Vada: Make sure the batter is thick enough to coat the vadas evenly for a crispy outer layer.
-NE CRAFTERS
