Skip to content
India in Nutshell
Sign in
Suggest a correction

Vada pav

AI-drafted · awaiting admin review

A spiced potato fritter in a soft bun with garlic chutney: Mumbai's favourite street snack.

Region: Mumbai and MaharashtraOccasion: Street food; snack at any timeTime: 40 minServes: 6Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 4 green chillies and 1-inch ginger, crushed
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • A sprig of curry leaves
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 cup besan (gram flour)
  • A pinch of baking soda
  • Oil for deep-frying
  • 6 pav
  • Dry garlic chutney and green chutney to serve
  • Fried green chillies (optional)

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, then the crushed chillies, ginger and garlic.
  2. Add turmeric and the mashed potato with salt and coriander. Mix well and shape into 6 balls.
  3. Make a thick batter of besan, a pinch of turmeric, soda, salt and water.
  4. Dip each ball in the batter and deep-fry in hot oil until golden.
  5. Slit the pav, spread both chutneys inside and put a hot vada in each. Serve with fried chillies.

History

Vada pav grew up as cheap, filling food for Mumbai's mill workers and office commuters in the 20th century. The pav, a soft bread roll, came to western India with the Portuguese.

Significance

Sold outside almost every railway station in Mumbai, vada pav is often called the city's own fast food.

Sources