Ingredients
Vada
2 potatoes boiled, peeled and crumbled
1 tbsp mustard oil
¼ tsp asafoetida, powdered
2 tsp fennel, gently dry roasted and pounded
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilly, sliced
1 onion, minced
2 tsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
2 ½ tsp lemon juice
Garlic chutney
(Adapted from pipingpotcurry.com)
8 garlic cloves
20gms peanuts
¼ cup desiccated coconut
1 tbsp sesame seeds
½ tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp salt
Batter
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
Additional
6 freshly baked Mumbai pavs or bread rolls
Method
1. Heat mustard oil in pan until it starts to smoke, add mustard seeds.
2. Once it starts to splutter, add the fennel and asafoetida. Mix well.
3. Add the garlic paste and green chilies. Sauté until the raw smell dissipates.
4. Add the onion and mix well. As it turns translucent, add the turmeric powder.
5. Mix well. Lower the flame. Add the potatoes and combine well. Add salt and lemon juice, check for taste. Add the coriander leaves. Mix, again. Taste test, if fine, take off the flame and let the mix cool.
6. Then roll into balls with a diameter of about 2.5 inches. Keep aside.
7. Take all the chutney ingredients, dry roast them, especially the garlic. Then place in a blender and mix well. You should get a crumbly chutney. Set aside.
8. Mix the batter ingredients really well. You can add about ½ teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of baking soda if you so desire, but I personally do not prefer it. The batter should be slightly thick, like a custard.
9. Take a small deep pan. Add frying oil and heat, as it starts to smoke a bit, dip the potato patties in the batter and drop into the pan, gently.
10. As it turns golden, remove with a slotted spoon, place on some paper towels to drain.
11. Once done, take a pav, cut it open halfway, add a generous teaspoon of chutney, place the patty and the close. Vada pav is ready.
