Mom's Recipies

Vada Pav is an Indian vegetarian lip smacking Street food commonly eaten in Maharashtra, India, and is one of the most popular and loved street foods in Mumbai. It consists of a batata vada sandwiched between two slices of a pav with condiments such as Red n Green Chutneys n Green chilies(fried n salted).... You will get Vada pav in each and every street corner, small eateries, and even served in long distant trains and on railway platforms. I have spent my entire college life eating these vada pav at the college canteen. It was one of the best vada pav I have tasted... Priced at just 4 rupees then, it used to be our regular favorite snack after boring lectures and particles.



Vada stuffing Ingredients:
4 big potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 green chilies
3-4 strands coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped onion
A pinch turmeric
A pinch of Asafetida
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat a little oil in a pan 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 , Asafetida 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)
1tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp eating soda (Soda-bi-carbonate)
Salt to taste

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. Do not make it too thin, the coating does not hold on to the stuffing if it is too thin.

Making vadas:
Heat oil in a pan 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
3 green chilies
1″ piece ginger (optional)
Salt to taste

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

Red chutney:
1 cup dried coconut (or desiccated coconut)
2 tbsps chili powder
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp tamarind extract or 1-2 pieces of tamarind (optional, added for tanginess)
Salt to taste

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.

Making vada pav:
Take a pav cut open horizontally, taking care one end is still connected.Apply 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.
Serve the hot lip smacking Vada Pav with fried green chillies.