Vada Pav — Mumbai’s Street Food, Made at Home

Vada pav is Mumbai’s identity in a single bite — a spiced potato fritter in a crispy besan batter, tucked into a soft pav with dry garlic chutney, green chutney, and a fried green chilli. The dry garlic chutney is what most home recipes omit and what most home versions are missing. Without it, vada pav is just a potato sandwich. With it, it tastes like Mumbai.

Ingredients (makes 8)

For the Vada Filling

• 4 large potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
• 1 tsp Phoran Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Phoran Turmeric Powder
• 2 green chillies, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 tsp Phoran Cumin Seeds
• 8–10 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

For the Besan Batter

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• ½ tsp Phoran Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Phoran Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• A pinch of baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Water — enough to make a thick, coating batter

Dry Garlic Chutney (essential)

• 8–10 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp desiccated coconut, dry-roasted until golden
• 1½ tsp Phoran Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil

Method: Pound garlic with salt in a mortar until it forms a rough paste. Add roasted coconut and chilli powder. Work together until you have a coarse, slightly sticky powder. Add the oil and mix. The texture should be crumbly, not wet. This chutney is applied dry, directly to the inside of the pav.

For Assembly

• 8 pav buns
• Green mint-coriander chutney
• 8 green chillies, slit and shallow-fried in oil until blistered

Method

1. Make the Vada Filling

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add curry leaves — careful, they will splutter.
2. Add green chilli and ginger. Sauté 30 seconds.
3. Add mashed potato, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Mix well on medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add fresh coriander. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be well-seasoned and cohesive. Cool completely before shaping.
5. Divide into 8 equal portions. Roll into smooth balls.

2. Make the Batter and Fry

1. Whisk besan, turmeric, chilli powder, baking soda, and salt with enough water to make a thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. It should not be runny.
2. Heat oil for deep frying to 170°C. Dip each potato ball in the batter, coating evenly, and lower into the oil. Fry 3–4 at a time — do not crowd the pan.
3. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the batter is set and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

3. Assemble

1. Slit each pav horizontally without cutting all the way through.
2. Spread dry garlic chutney on both inner surfaces. Apply green chutney on one side.
3. Place a hot vada inside. Add a fried green chilli alongside.
4. Serve immediately — vada pav does not hold.

Shop the Spices

• Phoran Garam Masala →
• Phoran Turmeric Powder →
• Phoran Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder →
• Phoran Cumin Seeds →