Vada Pav Recipe with step by step instructions. Vada Pav is the most popular street food of Mumbai. It is also known as the Desi Burger. Vada is a deep fried potato savory and pav (buns). Vada Pav is served with two kinds of chutney, a dry red chutney powder and fried green chilies. This snack is popular with people of all age groups.
It is also easily available at colleges, schools, office canteens, on the streets and restaurants all over Mumbai. The best Vada Pav you get in Mumbai are at Dadar and M.G. Road-camp, Pune. I have always loved to binge on them since my childhood and it makes me so happy to share this recipe with everyone. Making Vada Pav is actually easy as the chutneys could be made in advance.
In Mumbai, you also get jumbo sized Vada Pavs for the hungry stomachs. Nowadays you also see vendors adding an onion slice, sauce etc giving a modern touch of burgers to desi Vada Pavs ;). They are a filling breakfast to some, a snack and dinner to others. It is a savory enjoyed by people of all races, class and caste.
You could make the Pavs at home or buy from outside. It’s a joyous moment to eat hot vada pavs during the monsoon with a hot cup of tea. I make them a lot at home and it tastes much better along with being more clean than the outside ones. I love to have some chopped onion on my Vada Pav and also some nylon sev alongside. Yum! 🙂
Green chutney, sweet chutney, dry red chutney and fried chilies are made along with the vada pav.
Vada Pav Recipe and the printable version below:
- 2 tbsp water
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- ¼th cup mint leaves (optional)
- 3-4 green chilies or as required
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- ½ lime juice
- Black salt as per taste
- 1 cup pitted dates (khajoor)
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulp (imli)
- ½ t/s kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ cup jaggery powder (gur)
- ½ t/s fennel powder
- 1 t/s roasted cumin powder
- ¼th t/s garam masala powder
- ¼th t/s black salt (kala namak)
- 1 and ½ cup water or as consistency required
- salt as required
- 1 cup garlic cloves chopped coarsely
- ¼th cup desiccated coconut
- ¼th cup roasted groundnut
- 1 tbsp coriander seed
- 2 tbsp kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt as per taste
- 3 cups oil + 1 tbsp oil for tempering
- 4-5 medium sized potatoes
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 t/s mustard seed (rai)
- 1 t/s cumin seed (optional)
- a pinch of asofoetida (hing)
- ½ t/s turmeric powder
- ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 2-3 green chilies chopped finely
- ½ inch ginger chopped finely (optional)
- 1 t/s chat masala
- 1 t/s coriander seed powder
- ½ t/s garam masala powder
- salt as per taste
- 2 cups of sifted gram flour
- 1 cup water or as required
- ½ t/s turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 t/s cooking soda
- ½ t/s red chili powder (optional)
- salt as per taste
- 8-10 pav (bread)
- 1 chopped onion (optional)
- 3-4 green chilies
- Grind everything in a blender with water until smooth paste is formed. Place it aside.
- Boil tamarind and dates in water for 3-4 mins. Allow to cool and remove if any seed.
- Grind them with a cup of water until smooth.
- Take a pan and add the puree.
- Add ½ cup water and mix nicely.
- Also add jaggery powder, spice powder and salt.
- Mix and simmer for 4-5 mins, allow to thicken.
- Switch off the gas and allow to cool.
- Take little oil on a pan. Fry the garlic for 2 mins on low heat.
- Also add the desiccated coconut, roasted groundnut and coriander seeds.
- Saute for 2 mins and add salt.
- Now pestle it with a mortar until coarse mixture is formed.
- Place it aside.
- Firstly boil the potatoes until tender and cooked. Peel and mash them.
- In a pan take oil once hot add curry leaves, mustard seed, cumin seed and hing.
- Add this mixture to the mashed potatoes.
- Also add all spice powder, coriander leaves, chilies, ginger and salt.
- Combine all nicely. Make medium sized balls and gently flatten them with your palm.
- Place aside.
- Prepare the batter by mixing all the ingredients. The batter should be smooth and thick enough to coat the vadas.
- Place a pan with oil on high heat. Once oil is hot reduce to medium.
- Dip the vadas in the batter and coat from all sides.
- Fry until golden brown and crisp from all sides.
- Slit the pav from center. Apply the green chutney, sweet chutney on both sides of the pav.
- Also put some dry red chutney. Top some chopped onion if using.
- Lastly fry some green chilies.
- Serve your vada pavs hot with a cup of tea.
2. Add chilies, spices as per your taste.
3. If you don't have patience to make chutneys, just make the vada pav and eat with chili sauce.
Tim says
Hi – I’m from Canada and am interested in trying this recipe for an upcoming party. One question – does the measurement “t/s” stand for tablespoon or teaspoon? I’m thinking teaspoon, but just want to confirm.
Thanks!
maria says
Yes Tim t/s is teaspoon and apologies for making it difficult to understand. Surely try and let me know, thanks.
Surjeet Singh says
Nice delicious vada pav… I enjoyed this at home
maria says
Thanks Surjeet for positive views, glad you liked the vada pav recipe.
nandini says
thanks for your recipe
maria says
Welcome Nandini.
nandini saini says
hi it was awesome . can you recipe of pav bhaji
maria says
Thanks Nandini for positive views 🙂 check the link for pav bhaji recipe here.
nandini saini says
thanks 🙂
maria says
welcome nandini 🙂
Wayne says
For the chutney is says boil tamarind or dates for 3 mins…can u use either? Not both right?
maria says
Wayne thankyou for highlighting actually you have to use both dates and tamarind. Have made the required changes hope this help’s you.
Nibedita Panda says
Hi maria,thanks for ur vada pav recipe
maria says
Welcome always Nibedita 🙂
pravin says
I done it for my family
maria says
thanks Pravin 🙂 hope your family liked the vada pav??
rahul says
Vada pav racipe superb thanks.
maria says
welcome Rahul 🙂 and thankyou.
aafiya taj says
Thnx fr recipee
maria says
welcome Aafiya 🙂
meenakshi says
Hello mam, thanks for this recipe, i have made it three times and got praise because of you. I hace got a question and i hope u will reply to it- while deep frying , sometimes foods like pakoras, bhaturas and these vadas they stick to the bottom of kadai , why this happens even though the oil is hot? your tip will be great help to me.
maria says
Thankyou Meenakshi for trying the vada pav pleased to know you got lot of praises 🙂 …….. Meenakshi the oil needs to be hot also you need to add few pakoras or vadas while frying otherwise they get stuck to the bottom. Give enough space and enough oil to deep fry them. Hope this helps you.
meenakshi says
I am making this for tonight but i am confused do we have to use 1tsp. of baking soda in besan batter.
Thanks.
maria says
Meenakshi adding baking soda is optional.
Nupur says
Your typical Mumbai recipes are the best Maria.. every time I visit your blog, I bookmark atleast 5 recipes for later use 🙂
maria says
Thanks Nupur do try the bookmarked recipes 🙂