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Kadai or deep frying pan
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Vegan Masala Recipe
Vada Pav Recipe (Mumbai Style)
Mumbai-style vada pav tucks a hot, spiced potato fritter into a soft roll with punchy green and dry garlic chutneys. It is messy, fiery and magnificent street food.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
50 minPrep: 30 minCook: 20 minServes 8IndianVegan
Vada Pav
From the kitchen
What to expect
This version keeps the potato filling simple and well seasoned, with chutneys doing the work of sharpness and sweetness. Fry the vadas in hot oil and build the pav at the last minute so the bread stays soft.
Serving idea
Best served simply
Serve vada pav hot with fried green chillies and masala chai, with extra chutney on the side.
Useful equipment
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Cook the recipe
Method
- 1
Soak ½ cup tamarind in 1.75 cups hot water for 30 to 40 minutes. Squeeze the pulp well and strain it into a bowl.
- 2
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a small pan on low heat. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle, then stir in ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, and 1 pinch asafoetida for a few seconds.
- 3
Add the tamarind pulp, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 7 to 8 tablespoons jaggery and salt or black salt, and simmer until the chutney thickens. Let it cool.
- 4
Boil or steam 350 grams of potatoes until fork-tender. Peel and mash them while still warm.
- 5
Crush 1 to 2 green chillies and 6 to 7 cloves of garlic to a semi-fine paste with a mortar and pestle.
- 6
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a small pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them pop, then add 7 to 8 curry leaves, 1 pinch asafoetida, and ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder.
- 7
Add the green chilli-garlic paste and cook just until the raw smell fades. Do not let the garlic brown.
- 8
Mix the tempering into the mashed potatoes with 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and salt. Shape the mixture into small to medium flattened balls and set aside.
- 9
In a bowl, whisk 1 to 1.25 cups gram flour, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 pinch asafoetida, and 1 pinch baking soda if using. Add ½ cup water gradually to make a thick, smooth batter that coats the potato balls.
- 10
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai. Dip each potato patty into the batter and coat it evenly.
- 11
Fry the coated vadas in hot oil until golden and crisp, turning them as needed for even colour. Drain on paper towels.
- 12
If using, fry 3 to 4 green chillies until blistered and season them with a little salt.
- 13
For the green chutney, blend 1 cup chopped coriander leaves, 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, 2 to 3 drops lemon juice, 2 to 3 green chillies, and salt to a coarse paste.
- 14
Split the 8 pav without cutting all the way through. Spread green chutney, tamarind chutney, and dry garlic chutney, if using, inside each roll.
- 15
Place one hot vada in each pav and serve at once with the fried chillies.
- 16
Serve the vada pav right away, while the pav is still soft and the vada stays crisp.
Gather everything first
Ingredients
- •½ cup tamarind (tightly packed & seedless)
- •1.75 cups water (or add as required)
- •2 teaspoons oil, divided
- •½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- •½ teaspoon ginger powder (ground ginger)
- •1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- •¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- •7 to 8 tablespoons jaggery powder (adjust to taste, can swap with sugar)
- •salt (or black salt, as required)
- •350 grams or 2 medium to large potatoes
- •1 to 2 green chillies
- •6 to 7 cloves of garlic (small to medium-sized)
- •½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- •1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- •⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- •7 to 8 curry leaves
- •1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- •salt (as required)
- •1 to 1.25 cups gram flour (besan)
- •⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- •1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- •1 pinch baking soda (optional)
- •½ cup water (or add as required)
- •oil (as required for deep frying)
- •1 cup chopped coriander leaves
- •1 to 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- •2 to 3 drops lemon juice
- •2 to 3 green chillies (chopped)
- •salt (as required)
- •2 tablespoons dry garlic chutney (optional)
- •8 pav (dinner rolls)
- •3 to 4 fried green chillies (mixed with some salt, optional)
A few useful notes
Notes
- •The tamarind chutney keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Make it ahead so it can cool and thicken properly.
- •If the potato mixture feels loose, mash it a little more or chill it briefly before shaping. If the besan batter feels too thick, add water a spoon at a time.
- •Fry on medium-high heat so the coating colours without soaking up too much oil. A steady hot oil temperature matters here.
- •Leftover vadas reheat best in an air fryer or hot oven. The pav is best fresh, since it softens quickly once filled.
- •Keep the chutneys, potato filling, and fried vadas separate if you are serving later. Assemble only when you are ready to eat.
Learn the technique
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