Vada Pav Recipe:
Vada pav is a popular vegetarian street food snack that originated in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It consists of a deep-fried potato fritter called vada, sandwiched between two slices of bread known as pav, which is usually toasted with butter and garlic chutney. The vada is made by mixing boiled and mashed potatoes with spices and herbs such as turmeric, cumin, ginger, and coriander, which are shaped into a ball and then coated in a batter made from chickpea flour. Vada pav is typically served with additional chutneys and fried green chillies. It is a staple snack food in Mumbai and is considered to be one of the most iconic and beloved street foods of India.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
- Pav bread
- Garlic chutney
- Green chutney
- Fried green chillies
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, ginger paste, green chillies, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the chickpea flour, rice flour, cumin seeds and salt. Add enough water to make a thick batter.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
Take a portion of the potato mixture and shape it into a ball. Dip the ball in the chickpea flour batter, making sure it is coated evenly.
Carefully drop the coated ball into the hot oil and fry until it turns golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain excess oil on a paper towel.
To assemble the vada pav, slice the pav bread in half and spread garlic chutney and green chutney on the inside of each half.
Place one vada on one half of the pav bread and press down lightly. Add a few fried green chillies on top.
Cover with the other half of the pav bread and press down lightly.
Your vada pav is ready to serve!
Pro Tips:
Make sure the potato mixture is well seasoned: The key to a delicious vada is a well-seasoned potato mixture. Make sure to taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning as needed before shaping it into balls.
Use chilled water to make the batter: Using chilled water to make the batter helps create a crispy texture on the vada.
Fry the vada on medium heat: Frying the vada on medium heat ensures that it is cooked through and evenly browned without burning.
Drain excess oil: After frying the vada, make sure to drain excess oil on a paper towel to keep the vada pav from becoming too oily.
Toast the pav bread: Toasting the pav bread with butter and garlic chutney adds an extra layer of flavor and texture to the vada pav.
Serve with extra chutneys: Serve the vada pav with extra garlic and green chutneys on the side for extra flavor and spice.
Experiment with different fillings: While potato vada is the traditional filling for vada pav, you can also experiment with different fillings like paneer, mixed vegetables, or even cheese to create your own unique version of this popular street food.