Vada pav

Vada pav – Indian version of burger, must be one of the most loved street foods. Vada is a spicy potato mixture with a coating of gram flour, deep fried in oil. Pav is a special kind of soft bread, almost square in shape. V and I are great fans of this absolutely yummy dish from our college days in Belgaum. Somehow I was always hesitant to try vada pav as I was not too sure. I thought it had a very elaborate procedure. Finally yesterday I made it. I had invited few of our friends for a small vada pav party. It became an instant hit.

The chutneys for this were very easy to make. I made all the three chutneys even though the green chutney and the red garlic chutney are the most frequently used ones. Sweet chutney is not always a part of it. But I remember eating it in Belgaum. It suited very well for our party because many of us cannot take very hot food and the red and green chutneys are quite hot. I went with my instincts and few other chaats I have made in the past, since when I searched in the internet, there were so many different recipes for all these chutneys.

Check out different versions of this vada batata vada, batata vada with raw onion.

I am sending this to DK’s potato feast and Sia’s Ode to potato events.

Vada stuffing:
3 cups boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes (that is about 4 big potatoes)
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tea spn ginger garlic paste
2 green chilies
3-4 strands coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped onion
A pinch turmeric
Oil
Salt

Method:
Heat a little oil and add mustard, cumin seeds. When it starts popping, add curry leaves, green chilies, ginger garlic paste, onions and fry till onions turn translucent. Add the potatoes, turmeric, salt and mix well. If there are any big pieces of potatoes, add a little water and close and cook for few minutes, then mash and mixed well.
Add chopped coriander leaves and mix. Let it cool a bit.

Vada coating:
1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
1 tbl spn rice flour (added for crispiness)
1/2 tea spn chili powder
Salt

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients with water to make a smooth paste. As soon as water it added to the flours, it starts becoming lumps, so mix it with hand to remove lumps or use a egg whisk. Do not make it too thin, the coating does not hold on to the stuffing it is too thin.

Making vadas:
Heat oil for deep frying.
Make a ping-pong ball sized round from the stuffing. Dip the ball into the coating batter and deep fry in hot oil. Take out on a paper towel.

Green chutney:
9-10 strands coriander leaves
Few mint leaves (optional, I didn’t use it)
3 green chilies
1″ piece ginger (optional)
Salt

Method:
Grind all to a smooth paste. Do not make too watery.

Red chutney:
1 cup dried coconut (or dessicated coconut)
2 tbl spns chili powder
1 tea spn chopped garlic
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or 1-2 pieces of tamarind (optional, added for tanginess)
Salt

Method:
Dry roast coconut and tamarind till it turns slightly brownish. Grind together with all other ingredients. This is dry powder, so do not add water. It can be stored in air tight containers for about a month.

Sweet chutney :
5-6 dates(khajoor)
1/2 tea spn tamarind extract or about 4-5 pieces of tamarind
1/2 tea spn jaggery(optional, added only if sweetness of dates is not enough)
Salt

Method:
Soak dates in warm water for about 30mins. Take out seeds (better yet, use seedless dates). Grind with all other ingredients.

Making vada pav:
Take a pav (I used Savory butter rolls from King’s Hawaiian, which are slightly smaller than the actual pav). Cut open the rolls horizontally, taking care one end is still connected.
Apply three chutneys to pav as desired.

Slightly press the vada to flatten it.

Keep it on one half of the pav and cover with other half. Slightly press down.

Serves : 4-5
Preparation time : 40mins

PS: I have mentioned the amount of chilies according to my taste. Make changes to suit your taste. Even though in actual vada pav, one end of pav is kept intact, I have cut it into two for taking pictures because the pav was too small.

72 thoughts on “Vada pav”

  1. Thanks for posting this Shilpa… I was waiting for this one.. I miss eating vada pav from Belgaum.. it was absolute heaven..

  2. Love vada pav. We used to eat those during college times. We used to get these just opp. Borivli station and whenever we would go there, there would a long queue of people just for this. Have to eat these during my indian trip.

    I make mine the same way but without green chutney. Next time will make green chutney.

  3. I simply luv Vada pav! Like u said, these bring memories of my times in North India when I used to relish them in my school! Now I make them myself….but nothing beats the feeling of eating out with friends over gossip! 😉

    Lovely luking Vada Pav Shilpa..I luv it…Thanks a heap for sending me this wonderful entry

  4. Oh how good those look! And what a great idea for a fun, casual party- and the guests can fix it how they like! I’ll be trying these. BTW Shilpa, I tried drumsticks from a can the other day; although I am sure fresh is best, I will tell you I liked them right away! I kept snacking on them plain… 😉

    Shilpa: Yes Pel. The fun part was to fix their own vada pavs. I demonstrated one 🙂 and I heard, oh thats great from one of them, who was terrified at the site of green and red chutney ;). He felt good when he saw sweet chutney.
    Snacking on drumstick??? Oh my….Yeah, the fresh ones taste amazing.

  5. oh! its so lovely. i used to eat them a lot when i was in dharwad. thank you for putting detailed recipe of vada pav with all chutneys shilpa:) u r a gem 🙂
    and thank you for sending me this gorgeous entry.

  6. Shilpa…wow…the chutneys and vada all look great!! Going from College to home, often called for vada-pav since we used to get more time to hang around chatting!!tks for sharing!!

  7. WOW!!! That looks delcious, as genuine as they come on the streets!! I have never eaten this in India from the carts, but do make at home. Great job Shilpa!:)

  8. Hi
    Shilpa,
    very nice receipe of vada pav,same way if you you can suggest receipe of Dholala &undoyo (Gujarathi dish)
    o.k.bye.all the best shilpa
    mansi s.naik

  9. This tasted as good as it looks. Yaad aa gaya mujhko guzra zaamana…. I always count number of years I must have not had a dish when I speak to Amma. Since I have known your husband and you – so many of those dishes are getting knocked off the list. Thanks for sharing all these recipes and opening your home for all the dinner parties with Authentics Aayis Recipes….. Lots of Love and Blessings to you both

  10. very very nicely detailed! With excellent and appetizing pictures. I made a vada pav during the initial days of blogging, but hmm hmm, no details and not as good as this picture. Great Work!!

  11. Last week I had been to Maharastra on a pilgrim to Kolhapur, Pandarpur, Tuljapur Alandi and Shirdi. On my way to all they places and at all the ST Bus Stands (State Transport) in Maharastra the vendors used to sell this delectable VADA PAV right through the window of our bus. Not like what you have shown in your picture. Just PAV and VADA (no Chutney) but with a optional FRIED GREEN CHILLY (only one for a Vada). For the reason of hygiene we did not buy it. In a Hotel in Alandi (near Poona) VADA PAV was served with SAMBAR. We returned yesterday to our place MYSORE and asked my AAYI to prepare VADA PAV today. She did prepare it today. Instead of PAV (as it is not available near our place) we used BUN.

  12. Wonderful entry! I’ve never been to India but your lovely reminiscing certainly increases my desire to visit one day. Thanks for sharing your memories and recipes — the vivid colors of your chutneys really make your pics come alive!

  13. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
    For the vada coating, I would add a pinch of baking soda.
    This will ensure the vada retains the shape and the covering will be a little thick and adds to the taste.

  14. vasanti rajadhyaksha

    hello shilpa.just a tip while making the batter for vada coating,you must not put all thw water in the beginning. start by mixing a tbsp at a time till you get a thick smooth paste, and then add little water to get your desired consistency.this way you will not get any lumps in your batter.all the best. vasanti rajadhyaksha.also called as “aiee” by her family(75 yrs).

  15. Hi,
    Thanks so much for all the yammmmi recipes.
    I just love cooking TYPICAL Indian. Thougj I am a Pakistani, But have lived abroad for my whole life mixing with a lot of Indian families and loved eating their food, while the loved eating Pakistani food. Some of your recipes are absolutely GREAT. I just loved your red chutney recipe for the vada pav. I make a lot of indian recipes like the Pav bhaji(my daughter loves it) Dosa and all.
    Would you be my friend and keep in touch with me?
    Thanks
    Uzma Fauzan

  16. Great website–and I look forward to preparing the goodies from your recipes.
    I was introduced to your website by Sailu…..

  17. i read your recipe for wada pav .i used to live in bombay b4 1977 . and i used to love eating wada pav .i am going to try your recipe this weekend and i am sure it will be as good as we can get in bombay.

  18. THANK U FOR YOUR RECIPE, I M STUDYING HOSPITALITY IN BMHS(SYDNEY) I READ YOUR VADA PAV RECIPE ON INTERNET , N I THOUGHT OF MAKEING IT,N NEXT MORNING I MADE THAT AS A SIDE DISH FOR LUNCH FOR 300 PEOPLE. N THAT WAS GREAT EVERY BODY LIKED IT EVERY STUDENT FROM EVERY COUNTRY LIKED THE STUFF ,N SPEACIALLY THE RED CHUTNEY. I TRUELY THANK U.

  19. thanks for posting this recipe.i just love it. i am from AP.i tird somaney times to get it at lost now i got it thanq very much.your all recipes i saw.they are very nice.very helpfull to all.please put some punjabi recipes also i like them. thanq 1s again

  20. Hey grt job……. My husband has did his most of education frm mumbai and he thinks tht nobody can make vada pav like in mumbai. But today he thinks an southindian can also make better vada pav thn mumbaities ;)…….

  21. this is for Vimmi (comment dated feb17, 2008)…. you mentined Borivali stn …is it by any chance the Pipasa vada pav centre…OOOH!! they still make it as good …..

  22. Thank you shilpa.you are great. And your way of making vada pav is owesome.
    Thanks and i request to put more your indian recipe like this on line.

  23. Hey Shilpa — I’m planning to prepare Vada Pav for 1st time and u’ve provided a comprehensive recipe and it just looks YUMMMMY!!!!
    Thank you for posting.
    Cheers,
    Asha

  24. Thankyou so much for the recipe DH and DS loved it. I have tried this once but your recipe the directions were ery clear, so they turned out good. Since we eat a bit spicy I didnt make the seewt chutney.

  25. superb.. looks yummy .. recalling my good old days in mumbai.. print it now.. willa ask my wife who havent even heard about it.. hope its as it loks in the snap above,

  26. superb.. looks yummy .. recalling my good old days in mumbai.. print it now.. willa ask my wife who havent even heard about it.. hope its as it looks in the snap above,

  27. Pingback: Best Street Food: Asli Vada Pav, Sandwich and Bajjiyas « Arun Shanbhag

  28. Hit the spot, especially during this cold, extended snow storm here on the East Coast! Thanks a ton – great recipe and brought back lovely memories of college days in Bombay.

  29. hi, thanxs for recipe, as i remembered pune, n joshi vada pav wala, really staying in bolivia, south america, i really miss pune, india.

  30. good old Pune, never will forget the most delicious joshi wada pav………..miss pune, miss wada pav……….NZ

  31. Dear All,
    I Like Vadapavu.
    Most delicious food in Maharashtra.
    Kindly send us how to make vadapav recipe. and give me the incredients detailes.

    Awaiting your urgent replay.

    Br,
    Renjith
    [email protected]
    00967- 713 457 827

  32. i liked the spices used in your version of vada pav and thanks for taking pain for typing all three chatnies .wonderfull.

  33. I had some leftover mashed potatoes from our Thanksgiving dinner. I stir fried the spices and aromatics and then added them to my potatoes. I followed your recipe and we absolutely loved it. It was our first time trying it. I didn’t have time to make all the chutneys though I am sure they would make it even better. Flying solo, the taste of the potato and spices was outstanding.

  34. hmmmm….yummy….I will prepare for my wife who hasnt heard abt it…thx for the recipe….remembered my old days in Mira Road…Mumbai…

  35. Awsome !!!!

    Many Thanks to remind the days.. where we ussed to have Vada Pav in Mumbai anjd Pune..

    I just tried and everyone here appreciate this..

    Thank to you ..

    Keep posting such typical Gavrani Recipe.. hope we all will prefer the same

    Thanks once again..

    Ravi Patil

  36. i made it exactly by following the instructions written here. my hubby and 1 of his colleague tasted it. they said its delicious and that colleague even asked me how to prepare it. i told them about this site.

    really thankyou.. it made very easy for me to try new things

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