Vada Pav, also known as the Indian street burger, is a delicious and popular Indian street food. Known for its budget-friendly and gratifying features, it has gained immense popularity across the country.
This vegetarian fast food features a deep fried potato fritter (Vada) sandwiched between soft and fluffy Indian bread, called Pav.
The Mumbai street style Vada Pav is assembled with flavorful green coriander chutney, tangy and sweet Tamarind Chutney, and sprinkled with hot and spicy dry garlic chutney.
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Table of contents
In this post, I’ll share how to recreate the delicious Mumbai Street style Vada Pav in the comfort of your home.
This is the only recipe you will ever need to make your best pav vada at home. Because this step-by-step picture video instructions has all the important tips and tricks that will help you make your Mumbai style vada pav at home.
What is Vada Pav
Vada Pao, Wada Pav, or Wada Pao is a delightful Indian-style burger or sandwich that hails from the streets of Mumbai. Many people wonder who invented vada pav. The origin of this sandwich is the Indian state of Maharashtra, but this street snack is widely popular across all parts of India.
The vada in this Mumbai vada pav recipe is potato patties made of spicy potato filling first and then coated with gram flour batter and then deep-fried. The pav here is a simple bun bread, aka dinner roll. These slider buns are also known as Bombay Pav, or simply Pao.
It is a delicious and affordable snack that is loved by people of all ages. This popular snack is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Plus, it can also be served at parties and gatherings.
About Vada Pav
Vada Pav and Mumbai are synonymous. Every Mumbaikar is so fond of this crispy, flavorful everyday sandwich ‘Mumbai Vada Pav’. This popular street food is often sold from food carts and stalls.
A quick, filler, and power-boosting snack and a steaming hot cup of chai or coffee is all you need to start a busy and hectic day.
This versatile and inexpensive snack is another love of Mumbaiites after pav bhaji. I simply don’t know why people love it so much. Maybe because:
Vada Pav is everywhere in Mumbai — yet simply you just can’t get enough of it.
If you have ever been to Mumbai (India), then you must be familiar with the following pretty scenario while touring the streets of Mumbai.
Let’s say that you are on a regular road-trip of Mumbai and soaking in all the beauty that the city has to offer. You’ll notice that right from the early morning on the streets, you witness the mashed potatoes stir-frying with spices.
And this masala-spiced mashed potatoes later shaped into perfect balls.
A batch of masala-spiced potato patties dunked into a thick chickpea/besan batter and then dropped into the cooking oil sizzling in an immense ’kadhai’, aka iron pan.
The sizzling sound fizzles as soon as ‘vadas’ are dropped into the hot oil and instantly a fresh aroma of chickpea drifts in the air. A few tosses and turns are needed to make the crusty patties. In the end, you get the crispy deep-fried patties known as ‘batata vada’.
That inescapable incense of frying vada assuredly makes passersby restless to grab that vada.
This Vada Pav is
✓ Wallet-friendly.
✓ Simple & Easy to Make.
✓ Makes a perfect breakfast or snack.
✓ One of quickest on-the-go snacks.
✓ Can also be packed in a lunchbox.
✓ So filler and irresistibly tasty.
Ingredients of vada pav
Here are the ingredients you will need for making vada pav:
1. Potatoes: Aloo, also known as potatoes, are the star ingredient for making the vada (potato patties). Potatoes give the vada its base, adding structure. You need some boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes to create a soft and creamy vada filling.
2. Besan (Gram Flour): It is another key ingredient of this recipe. Besan, aka gram flour or chickpea flour, is used to make the vada batter for coating the potato mixture before frying. The earthy notes of besan give vada its crispy texture when deep-fried.
Besan is also gluten-free, making it suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
3. Spices & Others: You will need some essential spices to flavor the potato mixture. Mustard seeds are added for a nutty flavor. Turmeric powder is added for color and mild earthy notes. You will also need curry leaves for a distinct flavor and aroma.
Green chilies, garlic, and ginger add heat and depth of flavor to the vada.
4. Bread Rolls (Ladi Pav): Ladi Pav, also known as dinner rolls or slider buns, are used as the base for assembling the vada pav. Pav serves as a carrier for the crispy vada and flavorful chutneys, giving this entire dish a comforting texture. These soft and fluffy dinner rolls are sliced and toasted before being filled with the crispy vada and chutneys.
5. Green Chutney & Tamarind Chutney: It is typically served with a combination of chutneys like green coriander chutney and sweet chutney. Green coriander chutney adds the herby freshness, and sweet tamarind chutney adds a sweet and tangy contrast to the savory vada.
6. Dry Garlic Chutney: Dry garlic chutney is a spicy and aromatic condiment made from roasted garlic, dried red chilies, coconut, peanuts, and sesame seeds. It adds a flavorful punch to this dish and intensifies its overall taste.
The spiciness of this dry garlic chutney can be adjusted according to personal preference.
7. Fried Green Chilies: Fried green chilies are generally served as a garnish with vada pav to add an extra kick of heat and flavor. Green chilies are deep-fried until crispy to impart a spicy and crunchy texture to the dish.
8. Oil: Frying oil is used for deep-frying the vada until golden and crispy.
9. Salt: You will need salt to season and balance flavors. You will need salt in the vada mixture, batter, and to make chutney. Here you can use any salt of your choice.
How to make Vada Pav at home
Yes, you can make the entire dish from scratch.
For today’s Vada Pav recipe, I have made everything from scratch including soft pavs, dry and wet chutneys and vada.
You may feel like there is a lot of work to do in order to savor this deliciousness at home. But if you make all the chutneys and pav ahead of time, then you will only have to make vadas and assemble them. And then this is only a 20 minute job.
If you want you can also make all three chutneys at the time when the potato mixture is cooling down.
Indulge Your Senses with the Irresistible Flavors
Your taste buds will enjoy the experience of eating this snack.
Just close your eyes and take a bite of this homemade vada pav and you would feel that you are in Mumbai having the real taste of the original dish right in the streets of Mumbai.
If you have never had anything like this street food, then I would highly recommend you try this Indian Style Burger aka ‘Vada Pav’. I guarantee that you will never forget that phenomenal experience when your teeth would sink into the soft pav and the crispy, crunchy vada.
The vigor-boosting delectable snack has the perfect contrast of so many piquant and enticing flavors and textures.
In every bite, you could sense the excellent balance of a mouthful of a blazing hit along with the spicy tang and sweetness of both chutneys spread across your tongue.
Let’s get started without any delay.
How To Make Street Style Vada Pav
Making Street Style Vada Pav is very simple.
Slice open a soft and fluffy homemade dinner roll called pav. Then simply slather on some green coriander chutney, then some tamarind chutney.
Top it with oodles of dry garlic chutney, or lehsun ki chutney. Yes, if you are a chili lover then don’t be afraid of this spicy garlic chutney. Feel free to sprinkle a generous quantity of garlic chutney over tamarind and green chutney.
Then press the piping hot vada on the pav. Cover it with the other half of the pav and wrap it in a piece of old newspaper, if you want that real feel.
The one last thing is the addition of a fried green chili. This is just in case you think it’s not spicy enough for you.
How to make Batata Vada for Vada Pav
Preparing Batata Vada is very simple when you follow 3 easy steps. First, we make stuffing for vada pav. Then we make gram flour batter for coating, and finally, we deep fry the vadas until they are crispy and golden.
This is how you make vada pav stuffing:
In a blending jar, add green chilies, garlic cloves, and ginger and make a coarse paste. Then heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in mustard seeds and let them splutter for a few seconds.
Next, add in the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds. Add the green chili paste and sauté on medium heat. Add turmeric powder and sauté for some more.
Then add in the mashed potatoes, salt, and mix well. Cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let the potato mixture cool completely.
Divide the potato mixture into 8 balls. You can also flatten these balls. Set them aside.
Then we make the batter for frying batata vada.
This is how you make batter
In a mixing bowl, add in the besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric and whisk well. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Whisk well until you get a lump-free batter. Once ready, keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.
How to fry batata vada
Using a spoon, dip each vada into the batter to coat the mixture. Deep fry batter-coated vadas in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside. (You can make pakoras using the rest of the batter).
In the same pan add green chilies and fry them. Be careful, as green chilies tend to splutter. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
How to make Dry Garlic Chutney for Vada Pav
Dry roast coconut, peanuts, dried red chilies, sesame seeds, and garlic cloves one by one until they are golden. Transfer them on a plate, and keep aside to cool.
Once all the dry roasted ingredients have cooled completely, Add them to a grinder along with salt. Pulse everything to make a coarse powder. Add Kashmiri red chili powder and pound for few seconds or mix well with a spoon.
Dry Garlic Chutney is ready.
How to Make Green Coriander Chutney
Green chutney or coriander chutney is also used in this recipe. Making green coriander chutney for this recipe is very simple. You can check out the simple green coriander chutney recipe I have shared earlier.
How to Assemble The Vada Pav
Once you have vadas and chutneys ready, assembling this street food is very easy.
For assembling, slice each pav into half. Slather on some green chutney and tamarind chutney on both sides of the sliced pav. Sprinkle both sides with some dry garlic chutney. Arrange one hot vada on each slice of pav, cover with the other half. Press down.
Top with fried green chili and sprinkle more dry garlic chutney on top. Serve immediately.
Check out the recipe box on this page for the detailed recipe with measurements.
Variations
Cheese Pav
Love eating cheese in your dishes? To make cheese vada pav, add a slice of cheese on top of the hot vada before assembling the pav.
Alternatively, you can also add a cheese cube in the center of the vada before filling or mix grated cheese into the potato mixture for added cheesiness.
Masala Vada Pav
Are you a fan of pav bhaji? Then why not mix the best of both worlds? You can add about a tablespoon of pav bhaji masala or garam masala to the potato mixture to make it spicier.
Also, feel free to add other add-ons like finely chopped onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves in the potato mixture for extra flavor, crunch, and deliciousness.
Vada Paneer Pav
Paneer goes really well with potatoes. Making paneer vada is a lovely and delicious way to add some protein to your snack.
To make this paneer version, add some grated crumbled paneer (Indian cottage cheese) to the vada masala mixture. You can also add some essential spices like cumin, coriander, and red chili powder.
Veggie loaded
Want to add some fiber to your dishes? Then feel free to add some seasonal vegetables of your choice.
The veggies that taste good in this are grated carrots, green peas, corn, or capsicum aka bell peppers. They will not only add texture and nutrition but would also make it taste delicious.
Spinach Vada Pav
If you enjoy eating aloo palak pakora then this spinach vada pav has your name written all over it. To make this variation, mix finely chopped blanched spinach leaves into the potato mixture before frying.
The spinach leaves would add a vibrant green color and nutrients. To take this variation to the next level, you can also add some spinach puree to the vada or gram flour batter. Spinach puree would surely give it an extra boost of color and flavor.
Schezwan Vada Pav
In this version, you can replace the regular green chutney with spicy Schezwan sauce for a fusion twist.
Additionally, you can also add a bit of Schezwan sauce to the potato mixture for an added kick of flavor. Make this recipe as the regular recipe, garnish the assembled dish with chopped spring onions or coriander leaves for freshness.
Anupama’s Tips and Tricks to Make the Best Vada Pav At Home
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Chutneys: You can adjust the amount of all three chutneys.
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Rice flour: Adding rice flour to the batter makes crispy vada. If you can’t find rice flour, you can either make your own rice flour by pulsing raw rice or swap it with some cornflour.
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Toppings: You can also make some Chura with a thin besan batter. To make the batter thin, add some water to the leftover besan. Make chura by pouring and deep-frying this batter in hot oil. Deep fry chura on low heat until crispy. Once the chura is ready, add this along with the vada.
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Green chilies: Fried green chilies taste great with vada pav. So, they are highly recommended with vada pav. But adding fried green chilies is totally optional, so they can be omitted if you don’t have much spice tolerance.
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Oil: Make sure that the oil is heated to the correct temperature to ensure even cooking and crispiness. Vegetable oil or peanut oil is commonly used for frying vada pav, but you can also use canola oil.
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Reheat: You can also re-heat the deep-fried vadas. To keep the re-heated vada crispy, bake them for 8-10 minutes. This way they would stay crisp and won’t turn soggy. For baking, you can either use an oven or a pan.
FAQ
What is vada pav called in English?
Vada Pav is a popular street food snack from the state of Maharashtra. In English, you can call it “Indian Style Burger” or “Spicy Potato Fritter Sandwich.”
What does vada pav taste like?
Vada Pav has a spicy and savory taste. Imagine the taste as if you are eating potato curry in the form of a patty enveloped with chutneys and dinner rolls. All in all, vada pav is a delightful combination of textures and flavors that are savory, spicy, and satisfying.
Is eating vada pav healthy?
Vada pav is surely a super delicious and satisfying dish. Due to its deep-fried nature, it is considered a high-calorie and high-carbohydrate snack. So eating it daily might not be a healthy option, but it can surely be enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat.
Why is vada pav famous in Mumbai?
Vada Pav holds a special place in the hearts of Mumbaikars due to its affordability, accessibility, and delicious taste. It is a quintessential street food snack that reflects the vibrant culinary culture of Mumbai.
Its popularity also stems from its convenience as a quick and filling meal option, making it a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
What food goes with vada pav?
It is often enjoyed on its own as a breakfast or snack with hot chai or coffee. However, you can also serve it along with other Indian street food items such as paneer pakora, onion pakoras, kachori, or samosa, for a more substantial meal.
It is commonly served with hot chai or coffee to elevate the overall snacking experience. You can also pair it with black coffee or any other drinks of your choice.
Does vada pav have onion?
No, it generally does not contain any onions. And my recipe is inspired by authentic street-style recipes, so I did not include any onions.
However, some prefer making the potato mixture with onions and others like to add onions while assembling. So you can choose whether to add it or omit it.
Is vada pav vegan?
Yes, vada pav is inherently a vegan-friendly dish because it only uses plant-based ingredients. The vada mixture, batter, and chutneys are all prepared without any animal products.
So it can be enjoyed as a delicious vegan snack option. Just make sure that the dinner rolls you are using are vegan.
Vada Pav Recipe (Mumbai Style) (Step-by-step photo instructions)
How To Make Batata Vada Stuffing:
- In a blending jar, add 3 green chilies, 3 garlic cloves, and 1-inch ginger piece. Pound them to make a coarse paste.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Once hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter for a few seconds.
- Then, add the curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Now, add green chili paste and sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Next, add turmeric powder and sauté for another minute.
- Then, add the mashed potatoes and salt, and mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the mixture from heat and let the potato mixture cool completely.
- Divide the potato mixture into 8 balls. You can also flatten these balls. Set them aside.
How To Make Gram Flour Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric, and whisk well.
- Add enough water to make a thick batter. Whisk well until you get a lump-free batter.
- Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, add a pinch of baking soda and whisk well until the batter is light and fluffy.
How To Fry Batata Vada:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Using a spoon, dip each vada into the batter to coat completely.
- Drop the vadas in hot oil, and deep-fry until golden brown on all sides.
- Once golden and crispy, remove them with a slotted spoon.
- Drain fried vadas on absorbent paper and keep them aside. (You can make pakoras with the rest of the batter).
How To Fry Green Chilies:
- In the same pan, add green chilies and fry them. Be careful, as green chilies tend to splutter.
- Drain fried green chilies on absorbent paper and keep aside.
How To Make Dry Garlic Chutney:
- Heat a broad non-stick pan over medium heat. Add coconut to the pan.
- Dry roast until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
- In the same pan, roast peanuts until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Then, in the same pan, roast dried red chilies and sesame seeds until the seeds are golden. Transfer to a plate and keep aside to cool.
- In the same pan, sauté garlic cloves for 1 minute.
- Transfer to the plate and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, add all roasted ingredients to a blending jar along with some salt.
- Pound to make a coarse powder. Next, add Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Pound for a few seconds or mix well with a spoon. Dry garlic chutney is ready.
How To Assemble Vada Pav:
- Slice each pav in half.
- Slather on some green chutney and tamarind chutney on both sides of the sliced pav.
- Sprinkle both sides with some dry garlic chutney.
- Place one hot vada on each sliced pav, cover with the other half. Press down.
- Top with a fried green chili and sprinkle more dry garlic chutney on top. Serve immediately.
Recipe Card
Vada Pav Recipe (Mumbai Style) [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 4.9 from 198 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 40 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Snacks | Indian | 8 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 278 calories | 1 Vada Pav |
INGREDIENTS
For Batata Vada Stuffing:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons curry leaves (preferably fresh)
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 small green chilies
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 cups potatoes, boiled, peeled, & mashed
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
For Batata Vada Batter:
- 2 cups besan (gram flour)
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Water, as required for making the batter
- Oil for deep frying
- Pinch of baking soda (optional)
For Dry Garlic Chutney:
- 1/4 cup grated or desiccated coconut
- 4 tablespoons peanuts
- 5-6 small dried red chilies
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder
For Assembling The Vada Pav:
- 8 batata vada
- 8 ladi pav
- Dry garlic chutney
- Green coriander chutney
- Tamarind chutney
- Fried green chilies
INSTRUCTIONS:
How To Make Batata Vada Stuffing:
- In a blending jar, add 3 green chilies, 3 garlic cloves, and 1-inch ginger piece. Pound them to make a coarse paste.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Once hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter for a few seconds.
- Then, add the curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Now, add green chili paste and sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Next, add turmeric powder and sauté for another minute.
- Then, add the mashed potatoes and salt, and mix well. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the mixture from heat and let the potato mixture cool completely.
- Divide the potato mixture into 8 balls. You can also flatten these balls. Set them aside.
How To Make Gram Flour Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric, and whisk well.
- Add enough water to make a thick batter. Whisk well until you get a lump-free batter.
- Let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Then, add a pinch of baking soda and whisk well until the batter is light and fluffy.
How To Fry Batata Vada:
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Using a spoon, dip each vada into the batter to coat completely.
- Drop the vadas in hot oil, and deep-fry until golden brown on all sides.
- Once golden and crispy, remove them with a slotted spoon.
- Drain fried vadas on absorbent paper and keep them aside. (You can make pakoras with the rest of the batter).
How To Fry Green Chilies:
- In the same pan, add green chilies and fry them. Be careful, as green chilies tend to splutter.
- Drain fried green chilies on absorbent paper and keep aside.
How To Make Dry Garlic Chutney:
- Heat a broad non-stick pan over medium heat. Add coconut to the pan.
- Dry roast until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
- In the same pan, roast peanuts until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Then, in the same pan, roast dried red chilies and sesame seeds until the seeds are golden. Transfer to a plate and keep aside to cool.
- In the same pan, sauté garlic cloves for 1 minute.
- Transfer to the plate and set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, add all roasted ingredients to a blending jar along with some salt.
- Pound to make a coarse powder. Next, add Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Pound for a few seconds or mix well with a spoon. Dry garlic chutney is ready.
How To Assemble Vada Pav:
- Slice each pav in half.
- Slather on some green chutney and tamarind chutney on both sides of the sliced pav.
- Sprinkle both sides with some dry garlic chutney.
- Place one hot vada on each sliced pav, cover with the other half. Press down.
- Top with a fried green chili and sprinkle more dry garlic chutney on top. Serve immediately.
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NOTES:
- You can adjust the amount of all three chutneys to taste.
- Adding rice flour to the batter makes the vada crispy. If you can't find rice flour, you can either make your own by pulsing raw rice or swap it with some cornflour.
- You can re-heat the deep-fried vadas. To keep the re-heated vada crispy, bake them for 8-10 minutes. This method ensures they stay crisp and don’t turn soggy. For baking, you can use either an oven or a pan.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/vada-pav-recipe/
