Vada Pav

Hi Chefs!!

Vada Pav, is a vegetarian fast food originated in the state of Maharashtra. The man who is credited for coming up with the idea for the snack is Ashok Vaidya. He started selling the snack at his stall outside Dadar railway station in 1966. With in no time this snack became a super hit among the common man. It is quick to make, filling, cheap and can be had anywhere and at any time of the day like breakfast, brunch or as an evening snack.

Vada Pav is basically a potato dumpling which is dipped and coated with gram flour batter and then deep fried. This fried dumpling is placed inside a bread bun which is sliced from in between and is served with green coriander chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and dry red chutney along with fried green chili. This dish is full of flavors and really delicious. Although it is a cheap street food in Mumbai but it is now served in all restaurants big or small across India.

So let us learn to make this favorite snack of Maharashtra…….

Ingredients:

For Batter:

· Chickpea Flour/Besan - 1.5 cup

· Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

· Red Chili Powder – 2 tsp

· Salt – 2 tsp

· Water – as per the requirement to make a smooth batter

For Potato Masala:

· Potato (boiled) – 6-7 (medium)

· Green Chili – 2-3

· Garlic Cloves – 7-8

· Oil – 3 tbsp

· Red Chili Powder – 1-2 tsp

· Salt – 2 tsp OR according to taste

· Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

· Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

· Asafoetida/Heeng – ¼ tsp

· Curry Leaves – 8-10

· Garam masala – 2 tsp

· Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

· Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

For Dry Red Chutney:

· Oil – 1 tsp

· Peanuts – ¼ cup

· White Sesame Seeds/Safed Til – 2 tbsp

· Garlic Cloves – 6-7

· Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp

· Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – 2 tbsp

· Salt – according to taste

How To Make Vada Pav:

1. For batter: - In a bowl add flour and rest of the ingredients.

2. Add water little by little and make a smooth batter.

3. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.

4. For Potato masala: - In another bowl take boiled potatoes and mash them well.

5. Pound Green chili and garlic together in mortar & pestle.

6. Heat oil in a wok.

7. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and Heeng and let it splutter.

8. Add curry leaves and pounded mixture of garlic cloves and green chili.

9. Sauté it for 1-2 minutes.

10. Add mashed potatoes and rest of the spices to it.

11. Mix well and add lemon juice to it.

12. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool.

13. Make small balls from the entire potato masala.

14. Heat oil in a wok/kadai for frying.

15. Dip the potato ball in the batter, coat it with batter on all sides and drop in hot oil carefully.

16. Fry all the Vada’s like this.

17. For Dry Red Chutney: - Heat oil in a pan.

18. Add peanuts to it and sauté for 1-2 minutes on slow flame.

19. Add sesame seeds and sauté.

20. Add garlic cloves and sauté for few more minutes on slow flame till sesame seeds and peanuts start spluttering.

21. Switch of the gas and add coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and salt.

22. Mix well and let it cool down.

23. Transfer the mixture to a grinding jar.

24. Grind the mixture to a coarse powder.

25. Transfer this dry red chutney to a bowl.

26. For Fried Green Chili: - Slit all the green chilies from the center.

27. Drop them in hot oil.

28. Fry them till it changes color and take them out in a plate when done.

29. Assembling the Vada Pav: - take one Pav (dinner roll) and either tear open or slice it horizontally from the center.

30. Apply green coriander chutney on one half and sweet tamarind chutney on other half of the Pav as per your liking.

31. Place the Vada in the center and sprinkle some dry red chutney over it.

32. Place a fried green chili on top of the Vada and press the two half’s together sandwiching the Vada in between.

33. Serve it hot.

Enjoy!!

Some Pro Tips:

1. Adding water to the flour may create lumps so to avoid that add little water at a time.

2. The batter should be flowy but neither too thin nor too thick.

3. You may increase or decrease the amount of spices as per your liking.

4. Do not cook Potato masala for too long.

5. Just mix it well and switch off the gas otherwise it will become too dry.

6. You may add coconut powder and dry mango powder to the dry red chutney before grinding.

7. Slitting the green chili before frying is very important otherwise it may burst causing an accident.