August 10, 2023

Vada Pav – Batata Vada

A world famous, spicy, and savory Vada Pav is absolutely irresistible. It is one of the most popular street foods in Mumbai. A deep fried, crispy, spicy potato patty is sandwiched between soft and fluffy bread, and is smeared with various chutneys. Enjoy this mouth watering and delicious snack with a cup of tea.

The fried potato patty is called “Batata Vada” and the pillowy soft Indian bread is called “Ladi Pav” in Maharashtra. The dish is made by combining vada and pav with some sweet and spicy chutneys. You can call this dish Mumbai’s very own desi burger. Vada pav makes a quick, easy, and pocket friendly snack in the always moving city, Mumbai.

The spicy potato mixture is made with some boiled potatoes, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, cilantro, lime, and some spices. Later, the spicy potato mixture is shaped into balls and coated with besan (chickpea flour) slurry before being deep fried in the hot oil for a crispy texture.

Pillowy soft bread or pav is sliced in the middle, loaded with coriander mint chutney, tamarind date chutney, and dry garlic chutney. Later on batata vada is sandwiched between the two slices in the middle. Topped with some crispy chura/choora (crispy crumbs left at the bottom of the frying pan). Salted fried green chillies are served as a side along with vada pav if you need to add some heat in the dish.

History Of Vada Pav

Vada pav is believed to be invented by Ashok Vaidya. He opened the first vada pav stall opposite Dadar station, Mumbai on 23rd August 1966. Vada pav became an instant favorite among Mumbaikar’s as it was quick, tasty, and pocket friendly on the go snack.

Due to a textile mill closure, former textile workers opened the vada pav stalls as a source of income with the encouragement of the Maharashtra state government party.

This delicious dish is so popular that it has its own day – The world vada pav day is celebrated on August 23rd.

Finding vada pav in Mumbai is not that difficult. You will find vada pav stalls at every corner these days.

My personal favorites stalls in Dadar are Ashok Vada Pav near Institute of hotel management, swami samartha near sena bhavan, and Shree Krishna Babatawada Dadar, west. Please do try these vada pav stalls If you happen to be in Dadar, Mumbai.

Ingredients

For Vada:

Potatoes
Green chillies
Ginger
Garlic
Cilantro
Lime juice
Salt

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
Turmeric powder
Curry leaves
Oil

For Batter:

Besan
Rice flour
Turmeric powder
Red chili powder
Salt
Water
Baking soda
Oil

For Frying:

Green chillies
Salt
Oil

Green Chutney:

Cilantro leaves
Mint leaves
Ginger
Green chillies
Lime juice
Roasted dalia split
Cumin seeds
Salt
Black salt

For Assembling:

Pav
Green chutney
Tamarind date chutney
Dry garlic chutney

Vada Pav Step By Step Recipe

Boiled Potatoes

Wash the potatoes very well and slightly cut them in the middle if they are very large.

Add 1.5 cups of water to the bottom of a pressure cooker, place the potatoes in a steamer basket or steel container, close the lid of the pressure cooker, and cook the potatoes for 5-6 whistles. You can boil some water in a large pot, place the potatoes, and cook them until tender for about 20-25 minutes. Add enough water to cover the potatoes completely.

Once the potatoes are completely cool, remove the peels and roughly mash them into small sized chunks with your hands or a fork. Do not mash them completely.

Tempering

In a pan, heat some oil on medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.

Turn off the heat, add asafoetida, curry leaves, and turmeric powder.

Making The Vada Mix

Crush the ginger, garlic, and green chillies in a chopper or grate them.

Transfer the crushed green chillies, ginger, and garlic to the mashed potatoes.

Add cilantro leaves, salt, lime juice, and the tempering.

Mix everything well and taste the mixture at this point. Add some more chillies and salt according to your taste.

Grease your hands with some oil and shape the mixture into the size of a golf ball.

Gently press the ball in the middle, shape 12 balls in the same manner, and set aside.

Heat some oil in the pan for frying the batata vada.

Making The Batter

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the besan, rice flour, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt with a whisk.

Add some water little at a time to make a lump free, thick batter. Mix everything well with the help of a whisk.

* The batter should not be too thick or thin and it should coat the potato balls very well.

Add some baking powder, pour 1 tsp hot oil over, and mix the batter.

Frying The Vada

Pick up the potato ball with a spoon, dip into the batter, lift, and transfer it to the fork to remove excess batter.

Keep the temperature on medium heat while frying the vada.

Gently transfer the coated vada to hot oil. Fry 3-4 vada at a time without over crowding the pan.

Flip the vadas with a slotted spatula once they turn golden brown for about 40 seconds.

Fry the vadas until golden brown from the other side as well.

Transfer the vada to a lined plate using a slotted spatula to drain off the excess oil.

Repeat the same process until all the balls are finished.

Pour the remaining batter with the help of a spoon in a random shape.

Fry the vadas until golden brown and crispy. Transfer this chura to a lined plate using a slotted spatula to drain off the excess oil.

Place the slit green chillies on the slotted spatula, dip the spatula in hot oil, and fry the chillies until crispy. Transfer the green chillies onto a plate and immediately sprinkle some salt.

Green Chutney

In a blender jar, add all the chutney ingredients.

Add 3-4 ice cubes and blend into a smooth paste. Add 1-2 tsp cold water if needed while blending the chutney.

Assembling The Vada Pav

Slice the ladi pav in the middle, generously spread some green chutney on both sides.

Next, spread some tamarind date chutney on both sides.

Add 1 tsp garlic chutney on the bottom side of a pav.

Place the vada on the top, slightly press it, sprinkle some dry garlic chutney, some chura, and close the bread by gently pressing it.

Serve some salted green chillies, chura on the side, and enjoy!

Tips For Making Vada Pav

Boil the potatoes and let them cool completely or the potato mixture will turn mushy.
Do not mash the potatoes completely with a potato masher. Mash them into small chunks with your hands which will give the best texture to batata vada.
Chopping the curry leaves before adding into the tempering gives the best taste to the batata vada.
Keep the batter on a thicker side so the vada can get well coated with the batter.
Do not skimp the dry garlic chutney. It is a star ingredient in this recipe which enhances the taste of vada pav. Check out my father’s dry garlic chutney recipe.
Use the authentic ladi pav for the best vada pav experience. Don’t forget to try out my pillowy soft eggless ladi pav recipe.

Variations

Adding the garlic cloves in the potato mixture is completely optional.
Skip adding lime juice in the potato mixture.
You can add 1 tsp urad dal in the tempering for some crunch and a nutty flavor in the babata vada.
Adding tamarind date chutney in the pav is completely optional. You can simply use green chutney and dry garlic chutney.
Brush some butter on the top and bottom of the pav and warm them in a pan before assembling.

How To Store Vada Pav?

Store the leftover vadas in an airtight container for 2 days in a refrigerator.

You can store them in a freezer safe container or bag for 2 months.

Reheat them in the oven to 350℉ (180℃) for 6-8 minutes before serving.

How To Serve Vada Pav?

Serve the vada pav as a main dish for get-togethers along with some curd rice, garlic turmeric rice, or simple pulao.

Vada pav tastes absolutely amazing with regular sheera – suji ka halwa or pineapple sheera.

DID YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE?

If you’ve tried the Vada Pav recipe then don’t forget to rate it.

I will love to hear from you!

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