Vada Pav
Vada pav is Mumbai's iconic street snack: a spiced potato fritter coated in gram flour batter and tucked into a soft pav with chutneys. It is spicy, crunchy and utterly addictive. Often called the Indian burger, it is the fuel of the city and sold on nearly every street corner.
Why You Will Love This Vada Pav
- Crisp, spicy potato fritter in a soft bun
- Vegetarian, and made from simple everyday ingredients
- Comes with the famous dry garlic chutney for extra kick
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes: Boiled and mashed with green chilli, ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Gram flour (besan): Makes the crisp batter coating. Pav: Soft bread rolls, lightly toasted. Chutneys: Green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney and dry garlic chutney.
Tips for Crispy Vadas
Keep the batter thick so it coats the vada well. Fry on medium heat so they cook through without burning, and avoid crowding the pan. Let the potato mixture cool before shaping so the balls do not fall apart.
Serving and Storage
Serve hot, tucked into toasted pav with chutneys and a fried green chilli. The potato filling keeps for a day in the refrigerator, but the fried vadas are best eaten fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is vada pav called the Indian burger?
It is a spiced potato fritter served in a soft bun with chutneys, similar to how a burger patty is served, so many people use that comparison.
Why do my vadas absorb too much oil?
The oil may not be hot enough. Fry on medium heat so the batter crisps quickly without burning. Do not overcrowd the pan, as that lowers the temperature.
What is the dry garlic chutney made of?
It is a dry chutney of garlic, red chilli powder, grated dry coconut or peanuts and salt, ground to a coarse powder and sprinkled in the pav.
How do I keep the batter from falling off?
Keep the batter thick and coat the potato balls evenly, and let the potato mixture cool before shaping.
Can I bake or air fry vada pav?
Yes. Spray the coated vadas with oil and air fry or bake until golden. They will be lighter and less crisp than fried.
Can I make the chutneys ahead?
Yes. Green chutney keeps for a few days in the refrigerator and the dry garlic chutney lasts up to a month in an airtight container.
More Recipes You Will Love
- Mumbai Pav Bhaji: buttery spiced vegetable mash with toasted pav
- Punjabi Samosa: crisp pastry filled with spiced potato and peas
- Bhel Puri: crunchy, tangy chaat ready in 10 minutes
- Pani Puri (Golgappa): crisp shells with spicy mint water
- 4 potatoes (boiled and mashed)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-green chilli paste
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 pav (soft bread rolls)
- 1/2 cup dry garlic chutney
- Green chutney
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt to taste
- 1 Boil the PotatoesPut the 4 potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and leave them until they are cool enough to handle, then peel off the skins.Tip: Boil the potatoes whole with their skins on, so they do not absorb too much water, and cook them until fully soft so they mash smoothly.
- 2 Mash and Cool the PotatoesMash the peeled potatoes in a large bowl with a masher or fork until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps for texture. Let them cool completely.Tip: Cool mashed potato is firmer and much easier to shape. Warm potato is sticky and makes the patties lose their shape.
- 3 Heat the Oil for TemperingHeat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, until it is hot and shimmering.Tip: The oil needs to be properly hot for the mustard seeds to pop. Test with one seed, which should sizzle at once.
- 4 Temper the Mustard Seeds and Curry LeavesAdd 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them pop for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the 10 curry leaves, standing back as they will splutter, and fry for about 10 seconds until crisp.Tip: Keep a lid nearby, as the seeds can jump out of the pan. The curry leaves add the aroma that makes the vada taste authentically Mumbai.
- 5 Add the Ginger-Chilli Paste and TurmericStir in 1 tablespoon of ginger-green chilli paste and cook for about 30 seconds until the raw smell goes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, stir for 10 seconds, then take the pan off the heat.Tip: Take the pan off the heat quickly after adding the turmeric, as it burns easily and turns bitter.
- 6 Mix into the PotatoesPour the tempered mixture over the cooled mashed potatoes. Add salt to taste and mix well with a spoon or your hands until the spices are evenly spread and the mixture is yellow throughout.Tip: Taste and adjust the salt now, since the batter coating will be milder. Add a handful of chopped fresh coriander if you like.
- 7 Shape the PattiesDivide the potato mixture into 8 equal portions. With slightly oiled palms, roll each into a smooth ball, then flatten gently into a round, thick patty about 6 cm wide.Tip: Oiled hands prevent sticking. Make the patties smooth with no cracks, as cracks can let the oil in and make them fall apart in the fryer.
- 8 Make the Besan BatterIn a bowl, whisk together 1 cup of besan, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add about 3/4 cup of water a little at a time, whisking, until you have a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. Leave it to rest for 5 minutes.Tip: Keep the batter thick so it coats the vada well, like thick pancake batter. If it is too thin, it will slide off the patties.
- 9 Heat the Oil to 180 CPour oil into a deep, heavy pan to a depth of about 6 cm and heat it over medium heat to 180 C. To test, drop in a little batter, which should sizzle and rise to the surface within a few seconds.Tip: If the oil is too cool, the vadas soak up oil and turn greasy. If it is too hot, they brown outside and stay raw inside.
- 10 Dip the Patties in the BatterDip one patty at a time into the batter, turning to coat it fully, and lift it out with a fork, letting the extra batter drip back into the bowl.Tip: Coat the patties just before frying, as the batter gets runny if they sit in it. An even coating gives an even golden crust.
- 11 Fry the Vadas Until GoldenSlide 3 or 4 coated patties into the hot oil, without crowding the pan. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once or twice, until they are deep golden and crisp on all sides.Tip: Fry in batches to keep the oil temperature steady. Keep the heat medium so that the vadas cook through without burning.
- 12 Drain the VadasLift the vadas out with a slotted spoon and drain them on a wire rack or on paper towels. Let the oil come back to 180 C before frying the next batch.Tip: A wire rack keeps the vadas crisper than paper towels do. Serve them while they are still hot.
- 13 Slit the Pav and Spread the ChutneysSlit each pav horizontally, leaving one edge joined like a book. Spread green chutney on the inside of one half and about 1 tablespoon of dry garlic chutney on the other. Warm the pav on a tawa for 30 seconds on each side if you like.Tip: Dry garlic chutney is the secret of a true Mumbai vada pav, so use it generously. Toasting the pav lightly makes it extra fragrant.
- 14 Assemble and Serve HotTuck a hot vada into each pav and press it lightly. Serve straight away with a fried green chilli on the side and more chutney if you like.Tip: Serve immediately while the vada is hot and crisp. You can also air fry the vadas: spray with oil and cook at 190 C for 15 minutes.