Recipe At a Glance
Ingredients
For the Potato Vada
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 2–3 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 8–10 curry leaves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the Besan Batter
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- About ½ cup water, as needed
- Oil, for deep frying
For Serving
- 8 pav buns
- Green chutney
- Sweet tamarind chutney
- Dry garlic chutney
- Fried green chilies, optional
How to Make Vada Pav
1. Prepare the Potato Filling
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to crackle, add curry leaves, chopped green chilies, and ginger. Sauté for about 30 seconds.
Add the mashed potatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Mix everything well and cook for 2–3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add chopped coriander and lemon juice.
Let the mixture cool slightly, then divide it into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a round ball.
2. Prepare the Besan Batter
Add besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and baking soda to a bowl. Gradually add water and whisk until you get a smooth, medium-thick batter.
The batter should coat the potato balls evenly without being too runny.
3. Fry the Vadas
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
Dip each potato ball into the besan batter, making sure it is completely coated. Carefully place it into the hot oil.
Fry 3–4 vadas at a time until they become golden brown and crisp on the outside. Remove and place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Assemble the Vada Pav
Slice each pav horizontally, keeping one side attached.
Spread green chutney on one side and sweet tamarind chutney on the other. Sprinkle some dry garlic chutney inside the pav.
Place one hot potato vada between each pav and gently press.
Serve immediately with extra chutney and fried green chilies.
Tips for Perfect Vada Pav
- Make sure the potato mixture is cool enough to handle before shaping the vadas.
- Keep the besan batter medium-thick so it forms a crisp coating.
- Don’t fry the vadas in oil that is too hot, or the outside will brown before the inside becomes properly heated.
- For extra-crispy vadas, let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes before frying.
- Serve vada pav hot for the best taste and texture.
Serving Suggestion
Serve these Mumbai-style vada pav with green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, dry garlic chutney, and fried green chilies for an authentic street-food experience.