A step-by-step guide to making delicious vada pav, a popular street food from India:
Ingredients:
For the Potato Filling (Vada):
- 4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2-3 green chilies, finely chopped
- A few curry leaves, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
For the Batter:
- 1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
- A pinch of baking soda (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Water, as needed
For Assembling:
- Pav (soft rolls)
- Green chutney (coriander and mint chutney)
- Tamarind chutney
- Dry garlic chutney (optional)
- Fried green chilies (optional)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Potato Filling (Vada):
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a minute.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and mashed potatoes. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
- Add salt and chopped coriander leaves. Mix until the filling is well combined. Allow the mixture to cool.
2. Make the Batter:
- In a bowl, mix chickpea flour, a pinch of baking soda (for extra crispiness), and salt.
- Gradually add water and whisk to make a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Form and Fry the Vadas:
- Take a portion of the cooled potato filling and shape it into a round patty. Repeat to make all the vada patties.
- Heat oil in a deep pan for frying.
- Dip each potato patty into the chickpea flour batter, ensuring it's coated evenly.
- Carefully slide the coated patty into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Fry a few vadas at a time, avoiding overcrowding.
4. Prepare the Pav:
- Slit the pav horizontally, but do not cut all the way through.
- Spread a little green chutney and tamarind chutney on the inner sides of the pav.
5. Assemble the Vada Pav:
- Place a hot vada in the center of the pav.
- Optionally, sprinkle some dry garlic chutney on top of the vada for extra flavor and heat.
- Add a fried green chili on the side if you like it spicy.
6. Serve:
- Your vada pav is ready to be served! Wrap it in a piece of parchment paper or newspaper for an authentic street food experience.
Tips:
- You can adjust the spiciness of the vada by adding more or fewer green chilies.
- Dry garlic chutney adds a flavorful crunch to the vada pav. You can make it by grinding together dried coconut, garlic, and red chili powder.
- Serve with extra green chutney, tamarind chutney, or even tomato ketchup for dipping.
- Vada pav is often enjoyed with a side of fried green chilies for those who like extra heat.
Enjoy your homemade vada pav, a delicious and satisfying Indian street food treat!