Vada Pau at its Original Best!

imageimageVada Pau… the universally popular anytime indulgence!
It is India’s Vegetarian answer to the Burger and the single most popular street food along with chaat… that excites overwhelming emotion in the best of us! 🙂
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imageimageimageimageimageMethod:

For the vada
Roughly pound ginger, garlic and green chillies to a coarse paste.
Heat oil, add rai, Kari patta and the chilli paste.
Cook for a minute, add mashed potatoes, haldi and salt followed by lots of freshly chopped dhania.
Mix to combine. Cool and form into flat round balls.
Make a thick batter with besan, salt, red chilli pwdr, haldi and 1/2 a tsp of baking pwdr.
Dip the potato balls into the batter and deep fry on medium heat, drain on a paper towel.

For the green chutney
Grind fresh dhania, with green chillies and a small piece of ginger.
Add salt, a little sugar and lemon juice to taste.

For the dry garlic chutney
Grind khopra (dry coconut) garlic and red chilli powder.
Heat oil and roast the mix for a minute.
Mix in some crushed besan boondi to add bulk, and some salt to taste…..ready.

Note: you can make besan boondi from leftover besan batter after making the vadas.

For the fried green chillies
Slit green chillies.
Toss lightly in salt and deep fry.

Bringing it together…
Slit Pav, spread the green chutney on the top half.
Spread the dry garlic chutney generously on the bottom half and top with a vada.
Serve along with a generous helping of fried green chillies!
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For making Fresh Homemade Pau…
EASY NO-FAIL RECIPE FOR PAU
imageimageThese are especially rewarding to make, as their texture is far better than the bakery ones and come with no added preservatives to increase shelf life!
As you bake them, your whole house smells wonderful. As you break open each Pau, you will marvel at the fabulously soft texture and as you take a bite, Mmmmmm…You will soon be finding excuses to enjoy them with any and every thing!

For a healthier version….
VADA SANS PAU IN APPE PAN
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12 Comments

  1. If u are in u.s where u get pav?

    • Thanks Some specific.company name? Even Indian store has lot of variety?

    • Try making them at home…you will never go back to store bought ones. I’ve posted any easy no-fail recipe on the blog….check it out! 🙂

  2. Try the sourdough slider buns — closest to having the “khatta” pav taste… Else they have plain slider buns or dinner rolls…

  3. where in us u get kadi patta?

  4. beautiful presentation. ..for lasooni chutney if u dry roast all the ingredients(dry coconut, garlic pods and red whole chillies) in a kadai and then grind it with a little tamarind pulp, roasted peanuts (instead of boondi) and a little sugar, it with give an amazing tangy and nutty flavor to the vada pav…just a suggestion though…:)

  5. ruchi u r amazing.all the recipies,the passion for cooking,really admire u.heard a lot bout auntys cooking,now u 🙂
    inspiring !!

  6. Love this recipe! Going to try it soon in the appe pans -will update this comment on how it turns out in the appe pan.