Vada Pav is often likened to an Indian-style burger. While a vada pav does resemble a burger in the way it's assembled, a well-made vada pav couldn't be more different in taste to a burger. Even when you make vada pav at home with burger buns like I did because you don't live in a country where pav is available in a nearby store and of course, making pav at home is not always an option, is it?
{For vada pav recipe in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc, please use the Google Translate button in the sidebar}.
It's time for a confession now. Although I am as Indian as they come, I hadn't eaten my first vada pav until I had moved to Singapore. There's a restaurant called Makan Mumbai that sells a mean vada pav and we'd get them to cater Diwali parties at work where vada pav would be the centre-table snack along with a large thermos of masala chai.
One of the striking things and my favourite part of a vada pav is the spicy dry garlic chutney it comes with. It's a necessary accompaniment so sprinkle a generous amount while you assemble your vada pav. You also need some green chaat chutney so get started on that too. Both of these can be made ahead if you are cooking for a larger group.
While vada pav is popular as a roadside snack, we had ours for lunch one Saturday. A good generous portion with large batata vadas (potato vada), soft buns, green chutney, and of course the red garlic chutney. What a treat!
Also check out how to make pav at home, recipe for pav bhaji, and some spicy tawa pulao if you are in the mood for some Mumabi-style street food.
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 6 vada pav
To make the batata vada or potato vada:
1. Boil or steam 2 potatoes until tender. A fork inserted should go in easily.
2. Set aside to cool and then mash without any big lumps.
3. Grind together - 2 green chillies, 2 cloves of garlic, and a small piece of ginger to a coarse paste.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil and add 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds and a few curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chilli-garlic-ginger paste and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Then, add the mashed potatoes, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of hing or asafoetida, and salt to taste.
6. Turn off flame and mix well until the mixture is well combined. Don't add any water, the batata vada mixture should be thick.
7. Now we make the outer coating for the batata vada. Place 1 cup besan (gram flour), 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, a pinch of baking soda, and some salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine.
8. Add enough water to make a thick paste as seen below.
9. Divide the cooled potato mixture into 6 equal balls and coat in the prepared batter.
10. Heat enough oil in a kadai or wok to deep fry the vada. When the oil reaches smoking point, gently drop the batata vada into it. Some besan coating will go astray and that's ok, because I say so.
Once the vada is golden brown, drain and set aside on kitchen napkins.
You can also fry some green chillies to serve alongside, in true Mumbai vada pav fashion. Take care though, fresh chilies tend to burst in hot oil.
To assemble the vada pav:
Place a generous amount of green chutney on one side of the pav or burger bun. Place a batata vada over it and top off with a generous sprinkle of garlic chutney.
Serve with fried green chillies for those who want an extra spice kick. Some ketchup would go well with vada pav too.
Note: I have tried to write this recipe in a different style by not adding a list of ingredients in the beginning but rather, mentioning the ingredients and quantities with the instructions. I feel this is useful for me personally as I follow a recipe as I cook and I have heard this feedback from some of you too. Let me know if you miss the ingredients list though!
{For vada pav recipe in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc, please use the Google Translate button in the sidebar}.
It's time for a confession now. Although I am as Indian as they come, I hadn't eaten my first vada pav until I had moved to Singapore. There's a restaurant called Makan Mumbai that sells a mean vada pav and we'd get them to cater Diwali parties at work where vada pav would be the centre-table snack along with a large thermos of masala chai.
One of the striking things and my favourite part of a vada pav is the spicy dry garlic chutney it comes with. It's a necessary accompaniment so sprinkle a generous amount while you assemble your vada pav. You also need some green chaat chutney so get started on that too. Both of these can be made ahead if you are cooking for a larger group.
While vada pav is popular as a roadside snack, we had ours for lunch one Saturday. A good generous portion with large batata vadas (potato vada), soft buns, green chutney, and of course the red garlic chutney. What a treat!
Also check out how to make pav at home, recipe for pav bhaji, and some spicy tawa pulao if you are in the mood for some Mumabi-style street food.
MUMBAI VADA PAV RECIPE
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 6 vada pav
To make the batata vada or potato vada:
1. Boil or steam 2 potatoes until tender. A fork inserted should go in easily.
2. Set aside to cool and then mash without any big lumps.
3. Grind together - 2 green chillies, 2 cloves of garlic, and a small piece of ginger to a coarse paste.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil and add 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds and a few curry leaves. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the chilli-garlic-ginger paste and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Then, add the mashed potatoes, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of hing or asafoetida, and salt to taste.
6. Turn off flame and mix well until the mixture is well combined. Don't add any water, the batata vada mixture should be thick.
7. Now we make the outer coating for the batata vada. Place 1 cup besan (gram flour), 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder, a pinch of baking soda, and some salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine.
8. Add enough water to make a thick paste as seen below.
9. Divide the cooled potato mixture into 6 equal balls and coat in the prepared batter.
10. Heat enough oil in a kadai or wok to deep fry the vada. When the oil reaches smoking point, gently drop the batata vada into it. Some besan coating will go astray and that's ok, because I say so.
Once the vada is golden brown, drain and set aside on kitchen napkins.
You can also fry some green chillies to serve alongside, in true Mumbai vada pav fashion. Take care though, fresh chilies tend to burst in hot oil.
To assemble the vada pav:
Place a generous amount of green chutney on one side of the pav or burger bun. Place a batata vada over it and top off with a generous sprinkle of garlic chutney.
Serve with fried green chillies for those who want an extra spice kick. Some ketchup would go well with vada pav too.
Note: I have tried to write this recipe in a different style by not adding a list of ingredients in the beginning but rather, mentioning the ingredients and quantities with the instructions. I feel this is useful for me personally as I follow a recipe as I cook and I have heard this feedback from some of you too. Let me know if you miss the ingredients list though!
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