Ingredients
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For the Potato Filling
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3 small Boiled potatoes
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1- 2 tbsp Oil
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1/4 tspn Mustard seeds
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1/4 tspn Cumin seeds
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Handful Curry leaves
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4 crushed Garlic
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A.P.T Green Chilli
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1/4 tspn Turmeric powder
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1/4 tspn Asafoetida
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A.P.T Salt
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Coriander leaves
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For the Besan Batter
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6 tspn BesaN (Gram flour)
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1 pinch Turmeric
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2 pinch Asafoetida
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A.P.T Salt
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A.R Water
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A pinch Baking soda (Optional)
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Other Ingredients
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Pav Buns
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Butter (optional)
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Green Chutney
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Sweet & sour chutney
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Garlic chutney
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Fried Green chilli
Directions
Homemade Mumbai-Style Vada Pav Recipe
Growing up in Mumbai, vada pav was more than just a snack—it was a part of everyday life. From busy street corners to railway stations, the aroma of hot crispy vadas tucked inside buttery pav instantly brings back memories of daily train journeys, college days, and evening cravings. For every Mumbaikar, Vada Pav is pure nostalgia.
Even today, every time I pass by a roadside stall while traveling, the smell feels incredibly tempting. But honestly, because of the unhygienic oil conditions and repeated oil usage at many places, I can never bring myself to actually buy and eat it outside.
That’s exactly why I prefer recreating this Mumbai street food favorite fresh at home — crispy, flavorful, hygienic, and made with ingredients I trust for my family.
You can make chutneys fresh at home, and they can be consumed with many other snack items like sev puri, instant sandwiches, etc. I have shared a quick recipe at the end.
Step 1:- Prepare the Potato Mixture
Heat oil in a heavy-base pan and add mustard seeds to spatter, jeera seeds, coarsely crushed garlic-green chili using a garlic crusher, curry leaves, turmeric powder, and asafoetida. Add mashed potatoes and finely chopped coriander leaves; mix everything well.
Transfer to a bowl and make balls. set aside.
Step 2 – Make the Batter
In a bowl, mix besan, turmeric, asafoetida (hing), salt, and water to make a smooth medium-thick batter.
Step 3 – Fry the Vada
Dip each potato ball into the batter and deep fry until golden and crispy.
Step 4 – Assemble the Vada Pav
Slice the pav, apply chutney and butter (if desired), place the hot crispy vada inside, garnish with some chopped onions, and serve with fried green chilies (preferably spiceless—the light green chilies are hardly spicy and optional)
Recipe for chutneys
- Green chutney – Dhaniya pudhina chutney
Ingredients
- Fresh coriander leaves
- Mint leaves
- Green chillies
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Little water
Method
- Wash coriander and mint leaves well.
- Add coriander, mint, green chilies, garlic, salt, and lemon juice into a mixer jar.
- Add very little water and grind into a smooth chutney.
- Adjust salt and spice as needed.
Fresh, spicy, and perfect for homemade Vada Pav.
2. Tamarind Date chutney – Khatti meethi chutney
Ingredients
- Tamarind
- Organic dates (remove seeds if)
- Organic Jaggery
- Red chilli powder
- Roasted cumin powder
- Salt
- Water
Method
- Soak tamarind and dates in medium hot water for 10 minutes.
- Blend into a smooth paste.
- Strain & transfer to a pan and add jaggery, salt, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, and a little water.
- Cook for a few minutes until slightly thick and glossy.
- Cool completely before serving.
3. Dry garlic chutney
Ingredients
- Garlic cloves
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- Salt
- Besan batter (slightly thick)
- Oil for frying
Method
- Heat oil in a kadai.
- Prepare a slightly thick besan batter and carefully spread/drizzle tiny drops into hot oil to create crispy fried crumbs. Fry until golden and crisp.
- In the same oil, fry garlic until lightly golden.
- Crush the fried garlic and crispy besan crumbs together.
- Add Kashmiri chili powder and salt. Let it cool.
- Grind well and serve.
Your crispy homemade dried garlic chutney is ready
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I have used readymade chutneys here on the days when I don’t have time to prepare fresh stock. But they taste the same, and it’s amazing.
