Vada Pav with Green Coconut Chutney
A beloved street food from Mumbai, this Vada Pav combines spicy potato filling with soft bread rolls and refreshing coconut chutney for a delicious experience any time of day.
Ingredients
For the vada
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon ajwain seeds
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
- 10 pieces curry leaves, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 piece green chili, finely chopped
- 800 g starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- Sea salt as needed
- 150 g gram flour, plus a little extra for coating
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- 4 pieces white bread rolls
For the chutney
- 60 g fresh coconut, trimmed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
- A little water as needed
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation of Vada
- Dry-toast the mustard, coriander, and ajwain seeds in a large pan over high heat until fragrant and starting to pop, then grind them into a fine powder.
- Melt the ghee or butter in the same pan, then stir in the ground spices, curry leaves, turmeric, and chopped green chili.
- Add the diced potatoes, mix well to coat, then add a small splash of water, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
- Add a little more water only if needed. Mash the cooked potato mixture in the pan until mostly smooth, then leave it to cool enough to handle.
Preparation of Chutney
- To make the chutney, blend the coconut with lime juice until roughly smooth, then add the cilantro, mint, and a little water and process until finely chopped. Season with salt.
Frying and Assembling
- Heat the frying oil to 170°C / 325°F in a deep fryer or deep pan.
- In a bowl, combine the gram flour with enough water to make a thick batter, then mix in the turmeric, baking powder, and salt.
- Divide the potato mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a ball. Lightly dust each potato ball with gram flour, dip it into the batter, and fry in hot oil for 6 to 7 minutes until crisp, golden, and heated through.
- Split the bread rolls, spread chutney on the bottom half, place one fried potato ball inside each roll, cover with the top half, and serve.
Notes
Vada Pav is best served hot, immediately after frying to ensure the vada retains its crispiness. Pair it with fried green chilies for added spice. Enjoy with masala chai for an authentic touch.