Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav

印度薯仔炸餅包 Vada Pav

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — finished dish

Total time: 55 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Spiced potato balls are coated in gram-flour batter, fried crisp and tucked into soft rolls with fresh green chutney.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

400 g potatoes
150 g gram flour besan
180 ml water for batter
4 soft pav or dinner rolls
3 cloves garlic
1 small green chilli
6 curry leaves
40 g coriander leaves for chutney
1 tbsp lemon juice for chutney

Seasoning

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
750 ml cooking oil for tempering and frying

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — ingredients

02

Tools

pot
potato masher
small pan
large bowl
blender
deep frying pot
draining rack
food thermometer

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — tools

03

Steps

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Wash and cut potatoes

Step 1

Wash and cut potatoes

Wash and cut potatoes, then boil in water about 15 minutes until a skewer passes through.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Drain potatoes thoroughly and mash while warm until no large pieces remain

Step 2

Drain potatoes thoroughly and mash while warm until no large pieces remain

Drain potatoes thoroughly and mash while warm until no large pieces remain.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan and fry mustard seeds

Step 3

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan and fry mustard seeds

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan and fry mustard seeds, curry leaves, crushed garlic, chilli and turmeric.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Mix the spice oil and 1/2 tsp salt into potato

Step 4

Mix the spice oil and 1/2 tsp salt into potato

Mix the spice oil and 1/2 tsp salt into potato; form four firm balls.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Whisk gram flour with 180 ml water and 1/4 tsp salt into a batter that coats a spoon

Step 5

Whisk gram flour with 180 ml water and 1/4 tsp salt into a batter that coats a spoon

Whisk gram flour with 180 ml water and 1/4 tsp salt into a batter that coats a spoon.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Blend coriander

Step 6

Blend coriander

Blend coriander, lemon juice, a little green chilli and a splash of water into thick green chutney.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Heat deep oil to about 170°C

Step 7

Heat deep oil to about 170°C

Heat deep oil to about 170°C; a drop of batter should rise steadily.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Coat each potato ball in batter and let excess drip back into the bowl

Step 8

Coat each potato ball in batter and let excess drip back into the bowl

Coat each potato ball in batter and let excess drip back into the bowl.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Fry in batches about 4 to 5 minutes until golden and hot through

Step 9

Fry in batches about 4 to 5 minutes until golden and hot through

Fry in batches about 4 to 5 minutes until golden and hot through.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Drain fritters on a rack so their bases stay crisp

Step 10

Drain fritters on a rack so their bases stay crisp

Drain fritters on a rack so their bases stay crisp.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Slit buns without cutting through and warm their cut sides briefly in a dry pan

Step 11

Slit buns without cutting through and warm their cut sides briefly in a dry pan

Slit buns without cutting through and warm their cut sides briefly in a dry pan.

Indian Mumbai Vada Pav — Spread green chutney inside each bun

Step 12

Spread green chutney inside each bun

Spread green chutney inside each bun, add one hot potato fritter and serve immediately.

Common mistakes

Wet potato mixture falls apart
Batter too thin to coat
Oil too cool makes fritters greasy

Tips

Drain potato well, keep batter spoon-coating thick, and assemble buns only at serving.