Vada Pav is a Mumbai's favorite and authentic street food. Though a lot of variations has been brought in the preparation of this Vada Pav, still the basic one remains a hit. The taste of Vada Pav is hidden in the garlic chutney, which is got a nutty-spicy-sour taste. A fresh herb flavor is got with the addition of the Green Chutney, which is a mixture of green chilies, mint and coriander leaves to the Vada Pav.
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| Batata Vada / Aloo Bonda |
Ingredients:
For Stuffing:
1. Potatoes - 3 to 4 medium size
2. Onions - 2 nos.
3. Green chilly - 3 to 4 nos.
4. Ginger - small piece
5. Turmeric Powder - 1/4th tsp.
6. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
7. Curry leaves - 1 spring
8. Oil - 2 tsp.
9. Salt to taste
For the Batter or the Outer Cover:
1. Chickpea flour / Besan - 2 1/2 cups
2. Rice flour / Cornflour - 2 tbsp.
3. Cooking soda - a pinch
4. Chilly powder - 2 tsp.
5. Oil for frying
6. Salt to taste
For the Garlic Chutney Powder:
1. Groundnuts / Peanuts - fistful
2. Garlic - 8 to 10 cloves
3. Dry grated coconut - 1/4th cup
4. Chilly powder - 1 tbsp.
5. Tamarind - as per taste ( may be marble size)
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil / butter / ghee (clarified butter)- 1 tsp.
Green Chutney: Blogged earlier (check the link)
Garlic Chutney: Roast the peanuts and remove the skin. Heat a tsp of ghee and fry garlic and in the remaining heat, add other ingredients and allow to cool. Pound them coarsely and set aside.
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| Preparation for Vada Pav |
Cooking Method:
1. First sift the chickpea flour / besan in a bowl adding, rice flour, chilly powder and salt. In little water dissolve the cooking soda and add the same to the bowl. Further add water to make a smooth and thick batter keeping it aside.
2. For the Potato Stuffing, chop the potatoes into chunks and boil them until tender. Discard the skin and mash them in a bowl adding salt as per the taste required.
3. In the meantime make a paste of green chilies and ginger. Chop onions finely and set both of them aside for later use.
4. Heat 2 tsp. of oil and add mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle and add ginger chilly paste followed by chopped onions curry leaves and turmeric.
5. After 2 to 3 minutes add mashed potato and give it a thorough stir leaving on fire until all the ingredients blend well. Potato mixture is ready to coat in the batter in the desired shape and get into the oil for the yummy Batata Vadas.
6. Form round shapes of ready potato mixture and keep them ready.
7. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. Now dip the potato mixture in the prepared batter and drop them into the hot oil. Fry them until golden brown keeping the flame on medium. Set this aside until all the mashed potato is finished. These are called Batata Vadas. This alone can be served along with Green Chuntey and is famous in many other places too and called as Aloo Bonda.
For Assembling the Vada Pav the main ingredient required is the Buns called Pavs, which is readily available in the market. Slit the Pavs on the three side leaving one side, to place the Batata Vadas. Spread the Green Chutney on base side of the Pav and place the Batata Vada, sprinkling some Garlic Chutney on top. The famous and authentic Vada Pav is ready to relish in a Mumbai style. Additionally place some fried green chilies for the typical Vada Pav and get going.
Notes:
1. For more intense garlic flavor, one can add garlic paste to the batter too.
2. Be careful while frying the green chilies. Be away keeping the flame at very low as the chilies might tend to burst when getting into the oil.
3. If want to avoid the cooking soda in the batter, alternatively, add 1 tsp. of hot oil in the batter and beat the batter well.
4. Adding too much cooking soda in the batter will absorb more oil.
