Vada pav is probably Mumbai's most popular roadside dish and the rest of the India loves it too! Known as a poor man's food because it is very filling, available at every corner and fits in a poor man's budget. Over the years it has become so popular that everyone who has tasted Vada Pav will agree with me.
Vada pav is Potato fritters stuffed into Pao (bread that looks like Burger Bun and has a slight sweet taste) and then generous amounts of Spicy Garlic Powder is sprinkled all over and then served with some green chutney.
So the story of how Vada Pav was invented is quite interesting. Mr.Ashok Vaidya, He used to sell Poha and Vada (Potato Fitters) and usually sat out of the Dadar station, One day he just put the Vada in between Pav ( Buns) and added special Garlic Chutney and it became a super hit. (Source Wikipedia)
I tastes my first ever Vada Pav on a official trip to Mumbai. Me and a colleague we went to a popular joint in the morning and sat there till he opened and made fresh Vada Pav for us. I loved every bit of what i ate and my love remains. :) what is your story of the first Vada Pav.
I am going to divide the process into 3 parts for you. My most favourate being the Spicy Garlic Powder. I feel that the powder is like the Heart of the Vada Pav.
What do you need to make the Mumabi Special Vada Pav?
Filling:
- Boiled Potatoes
- Salt
- Chilli Powder
- Ginger
- Cumin Seeds
- Oil
Batter:
- Gram Flour
- Water
- Chilly powder
- Salt
Spicy Garlic Powder:
- 10 -12 Garlic pods
- About 1 cup Dry Grated Coconut
- Handful Groundnut
- Handful Sesame Seeds
- Pav (Type of bread)
- Butter
How to make the Vada Pav?
Step 1: Is to make the filling to make the filling for the Potato fritters: Is to Boil and mash the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes cool down when you mash them.
In a pan add a little oil, once the oil is hot add the Cumin seeds and wait for them to crackle, chili powder, salt, chopped green chilies, chopped ginger and the mashed potatoes and mix all this well.
Mix all this well and leave it to cool down.
Tip: Do not add water.
Step 2: Let us make the batter, take a wide bowl add the Gram flour and add salt , chilly powder as per taste; Add water and make flowing batter,, do not make it too thin or too thick. The consistency has to be flowing enough that it can coat our potato mixture well.
Step 3: Let us make the Vada, slowly drown the Potato balls into the batter and drop them into hot oil and deep fry them on low flame till they are golden brown. Keep aside.
Tip: you can serve them as is, they will taste awesome. In fact do taste one and see if you need to adjust any spices. ;)
Step 4: Now cut the bun into halves, sprinkle in the spicy garlic powder and put the Vada in between 2 buns. That is it. serve it with some amazing green chutney!
If you like you can toast your Pav. But usually the Vada Pav should not be toasted.
How to make the Spicy Garlic powder?
Step 1: Fry the Garlic, dry grated coconut, groundnut and the finally the sesame seeds. All of them separately, with very little oil. Grind them all to a coarse powder and add kashmiri red chilli powder and salt.
You can adjust the ingredients as per your taste, it is a combination of all these spices that makes the powder what it is. I have shared my proportions but i made mine without measuring.
Serve it with some Green Chutney and a tall glass of Cold Coffee
My Notes:
- You can try to make the Vada in an Appe pan as well, but the real taste of a vada Pav is when it is deep fried.
- The Spicy Garlic powder can be stored n an airtight container for about a week.
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