Traditional Vada Pav Recipe

03-11-2022

By Maya Delights

Indian Cuisine

Snack

Enjoy the delicious taste of Vada Pav with our easy-to-make recipe.

Is Vada Pav a popular street food in India?

A popular Indian street food! It is a delicious fast food snack that originated in the state of Maharashtra, specifically in the city of Mumbai. It is also known as the “poor man's burger” due to its affordability and popularity among the lower classes. 

How to make Vada Pav at home?

The dish is made by placing a spiced potato fritter, known as a "Vada," between two slices of bread, called Pav, which is similar to a burger bun. 

What are the ingredients for Vada Pav?

The Vada is made from boiled and mashed potatoes, mixed with a blend of spices including ginger, green chili, and turmeric. The Vada is then coated with gram flour and deep-fried, giving it a crispy outer layer. 

What chutneys are typically served with Vada Pav?

The Pav is buttered, toasted, and sometimes garnished with chutneys made of coriander leaves, tamarind, and garlic. Vada Pav has become an integral part of Mumbai's food culture, and it is commonly seen as a quick and tasty snack to eat on the go. It is sold at roadside stalls, food carts, and street vendors all over the city.

What type of bread is traditionally served with Vada Pav?

Made from a yeasted dough made with all-purpose flour, yeast, water, sugar, salt, and potentially butter or milk resulting in a soft and fluffy bread roll, similar to dinner rolls or hamburger buns. It is typically sliced in half and buttered.

Tips to Avoid Pitfalls on Preparing Vada Pav

 Perfecting the Vada: Vada Pav's star attraction is the potato filling, which should be flavorful and spicy. It may take a few tries to get the consistency right and to find the perfect balance of spices.

 Getting the right bread: Vada Pav uses a sort of bread called pav, which can be hard to find outside of South Asia. You can replicate it with a soft, slightly sweet bread like Portuguese rolls or brioche buns.

 Finding authentic ingredients: Some ingredients, such as green chilies, garlic, and mustard seeds, might not be readily available in all areas. Instead try potato vada, use tofu to make a tofu vada pav.

 Assembling the sandwich: The Vada Pav sandwich has to be assembled quickly so that the Pav stays soft and fluffy. Spread the chutney evenly and make sure the Vada is not too hot, or else it could soften the bread or make it soggy.

 Maintaining the crunch: Another essential element of Vada Pav is the crunch of the exterior coating, which can be achieved by using a mixture of besan (chickpea flour) and rice flour. Be careful not to overcook the Vada, as it could become tough and lose its crispiness.

Ingredients

• For the vada:

  • 4 boiled potatoes

  • 1/2 cup gram flour

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder

  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder

  • 1/4 tsp coriander powder

  • Salt to taste

  • Oil for frying

• For assembly:

  • 4 pav buns

  • Green chutney

  • Tamarind chutney

  • Garlic chutney

  • Thinly sliced onion

  • Thinly sliced tomato

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mash boiled potatoes and add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well.

2. In another bowl, mix gram flour, water and salt to make a thick batter.

3. Take a small portion of potato mixture and make a ball. Flatten it using your palms.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Dip each flattened potato ball in the batter and deep fry till golden brown.

5. Cut the pav buns from the center. Apply green chutney, tamarind chutney and garlic chutney on the inner sides of the pav buns.

6. Place a vada inside each pav bun. Top it with sliced onion and tomato.

7. Serve hot.

Preparation Time 20 min

Cook Time 20 min

Total time 40 min

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 350

Fat: 15 g

Saturated Fat: 2 g

Carbohydrates: 48 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugar: 5 g

Protein: 6 g

Regional Ingredients Variations of Vada Pav

Mumbai Vada Pav: This is the original version of the popular street food and consists of a deep-fried potato dumpling (vada) served with a soft bun (pav) that is smeared with green chutney and tamarind chutney. It is a staple in Mumbai.

Gujarat Vada Pav: Known as "Dabeli", this version includes a sweet and spicy mixture of mashed potato, peanuts, and pomegranate seeds. It is served between a buttered pav and garnished with sev and chopped onion.

Delhi Vada Pav: This version is called "Aloo Tikki Burger" and features a spiced potato patty sandwiched between two slices of bread with a sprinkle of chaat masala and served with mint chutney.

Bangalore Vada Pav: Known as "Masala Vada Pav", this version includes a spicy masala filling in the vada made with a mix of chana dal, onion, green chili, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. It is served with a pav that is slathered with butter and a spicy garlic chutney.

Pune Vada Pav: Called "Batata Vada Pav", this version features a crispier batter-coated potato vada that is seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida. It is served with a pav that is smeared with green chutney and garlic chutney.

Kolkata Vada Pav: Known as the "Kolkata-style Vada Pav", this version includes a mustard sauce for a tangy flavor. A special spice mix called Jhaal Muri is sprinkled over the vada, which includes ingredients like roasted peanuts, puffed rice, coriander leaves, and chopped vegetables.

Hyderabad Vada Pav: Called the "Andhra-style Vada Pav", this version includes a spicy peanut or tomato sauce that is spread over the vada. This version also includes a light green chutney and chopped onions.

Try this easy recipe for Vada Pav and enjoy it as a snack or meal! #vadapav #indianfood #streetfood #yummydelights #WestIndia