Apun ka Vada Pav

Vada pav is a popular Maharashtrian snack. We have had the vada pav we make at home only. And thanks to Pavan, we got the right taste. It’s a simple but tasty snack and very filling too. We have taken the easiest way to make it as many are not patient enough to follow the long procedures. That is the reason we call it Apun ka Vada pav. This is not the authentic one, but just one that we make and find tasty.

Preparation time 1 hour

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Pav (the Pav bhaji pav or even small/medium sized burger buns will do) 6
Chopped Onions (ullipaya) ½ cup

For the vadas:

Chickpea Flour (Besan/senagapindi/kadle hittu/gram flour) 4 tbsp
Potatoes (aloo) 2
Mustard seeds (Aavalu) 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Curry leaves ( karvepak) 6-8.

Salt to taste

For the chutney:

Coriander (Kothimeera) 1 bunch
Tomatoes 1
Green chilli finely chopped 1
Ginger or ginger powder(as available) 1tsp
Sugar 1tsp
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Mango Powder(amchur) 1tsp
Date/date powder 1 tsp
Tamarind or tamarind powder 1 tsp

Chat masala(optional) 4 tsp

Salt to taste


Method:

There are two ways of making the green chutney as per availability of ingredients.

1: Grind the coriander,tomato , green chilli and all the powders mentioned above and salt except chat masala .

2: Grind coriander,tomato, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp tamarind, 1 tsp of sugar, Salt and the finely chopped green chilli. To this mix 4 tsps of chat masala just before using it.

There are actually 2 kinds of chutneys conventionally used to make the vada pav: the green chutney and the red chutney. We have used the ingredients of both the chutneys together to make one chutney. However, if required the red chutney can also be made.

For the Vadas:

Pressure cook the potatoes upto 5 whistles or boil them till soft. Cool the potatoes and mash.

Take a kadai/pan and add 2tsp of oil. Once hot add the mustard seeds and curry leaves as the mustard seeds splutter. Season the mashed potatoes with this tampering and add a pinch of salt and mix well.

In another vessel take the chickpea flour and water of a consistency enough to make a dough into which the potato balls can dipped (bajji/bonda dough consistency). Keep mixing the flour while adding water so that lumps don’t get created.

Take a kadai/pan and add the cup of oil and leave for heating. In the meantime make medium sized balls of the potato mix and dip into the chickpea dough so as to cover the whole ball. Once oil is hot, fry these balls to make batata vadas and keep aside. It is advisable to make the vadas on simmer flame as they won’t get burnt and it is safer to cook on simmer especially while using such high quantities of oil.

For the Vada pav:

Slit the pav (or bun) horizontally leaving the other corner unslit and the pav foldable.

Spread the green chutney (or the chutneys/sauces of your choice) on both the halves of the pav.

Place tha vada, and a few chopped onions and cover the pav to seem like a burger.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or tamarind chutney. Since the chutney we use is already a mix of flavours even if served just like that the vada pav tastes great.