Mumbai street food · Vegetarian
Mumbai-Style
Vada Pav
A golden, crispy potato vada tucked into soft pav with green chutney and spicy dry garlic chutney.
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The recipe
Comforting, flavourful and made at home.
Mumbai's iconic snack is simple, inexpensive and wonderfully satisfying. Make the spiced potato filling, dip it in thick besan batter, and serve it hot in toasted pav.
Ingredients
Potato filling
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1–2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 8–10 curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and 1 tbsp oil
Besan batter
- 1½ cups gram flour (besan)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- A pinch of baking soda
- Salt to taste
- Approx. ¾ cup water
- Oil, for deep frying
To serve
- 6 soft pav buns
- Green chutney and dry garlic chutney
- Fried green chillies, optional
- Butter or oil for toasting
Method
- Make the filling. Heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, then add cumin, curry leaves, ginger and chilli. Stir in turmeric, mashed potatoes and salt. Cook 2–3 minutes, then finish with coriander and lemon juice. Cool.
- Shape the vadas. Divide the potato mixture into six portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
- Mix the batter. Whisk besan, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and baking soda. Gradually add water until smooth and thick. Rest 5–10 minutes.
- Fry until golden. Dip each ball in batter and fry over medium heat until crisp and golden. Drain on paper.
- Toast and assemble. Toast pav with butter, spread both chutneys and place a hot vada inside. Add extra garlic chutney and serve.