Mumbai-Style Vada PavVeg
Experience the authentic taste of Mumbai’s iconic street food with this easy Vada Pav recipe. Learn how to prepare a spiced, mashed potato filling, dipped in a crisp gram flour batter and deep-fried to golden perfection. Served inside a soft pav bun with a flavorful, spicy garlic dry chutney, this homemade snack brings the heart of Maharashtra straight to your kitchen. Perfect for teatime cravings, this classic vegetarian treat is simple, delicious, and incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
For the Batata Vada (Potato Filling):
400 g Potato (boiled & mashed)
1 tbsp Garlic and Green Chilly (crushed together)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
A pinch Asafoetida
10 piece Curry Leaves
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
as needed Salt
For the Batter:
1 cups Gram Flour (besan)
1 cups Water
as needed Salt
For the Red Chutney:
3 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
10 cloves Garlic
as needed Salt
Fritters: Use the remaining gram flour batter leftover from frying the vadas.
Instructions
Step 1— Prepare the Masala Filling
1
Pound garlic cloves and fresh green chilies together.
2
Heat oil in a pan or kadhai. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle, followed by a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and fresh curry leaves.
3
Add the crushed garlic and chili mixture to the oil and sauté until the garlic turns golden brown.
4
Switch off the flame. Add turmeric powder, freshly chopped coriander leaves, salt, and boiled potatoes. The chef recommends crushing the potatoes rather than chopping them for a better texture. Mix well and let the mixture cool completely.
Step 3— Prepare the Batter and Shape the Vada
1
In a bowl, combine gram flour and salt. Break any lumps, then slowly add water to create a smooth, coating-consistency batter (not too watery). Let it rest for 2-3 minutes.
2
Take lemon-sized portions of the potato mixture and shape them into round balls.
Step 3— Fry the Vadas
1
Heat oil to a moderate temperature.
2
Dip each potato ball into the gram flour batter until evenly coated, then deep-fry them on medium flame until they are crisp and golden brown. Transfer to an absorbent tissue paper.
Step 4— Prepare the Dry Garlic Chutney (Suki Chutney)
1
Drizzle small amounts of the remaining batter into the hot oil while frying, and cook until crisp. Let these cool.
2
In a grinder, add garlic cloves, red chili powder, the crisp fritters (at room temperature), and salt. Grind into a coarse-to-medium consistency.
Step 5— Serving
1
Sprinkle a generous portion of the dry chutney inside a sliced pav (bread bun), place the hot batata vada inside, and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
12 servings per recipe
