flipVada pav (Mumbai's burger)
Vada pav (Mumbai's burger)
Why this dish? Vada pav is the soul food of Mumbai, Abhishek Bachchan's city: sold on every corner, near Film City studios and train stations, it's the democratic snack that stars and crew alike eat between takes.
A spicy potato fritter, coated in chickpea batter and fried, slipped into a soft small bun (pav) with chutneys and a fried chili. The king of Bombay street snacks.
You want to know the real Mumbai? Forget restaurants, go to the vada pav stall on the corner, the one with the never-ending line. You eat it standing, burning hot, the spicy potato in the soft bread, a touch of dry garlic chutney that wakes everything up — two rupees of happiness, na! Between takes, that's what we sneak, even when the dietitian frowns.
- •Potatoes — a few, boiled (fritter heart)
- •Chickpea flour (besan) — one bowl (batter)
- •Green chili, ginger, garlic — to taste (heat)
- •Soft dinner rolls (pav) — 1 per vada (support)
- •Curry leaves, mustard seeds — a handful (tempering)
Vada pav (Mumbai's burger)
A spicy potato fritter, coated in chickpea batter and fried, slipped into a soft small bun (pav) with chutneys and a fried chili. The king of Bombay street snacks.
Why this dish? Vada pav is the soul food of Mumbai, Abhishek Bachchan's city: sold on every corner, near Film City studios and train stations, it's the democratic snack that stars and crew alike eat between takes.
You want to know the real Mumbai? Forget restaurants, go to the vada pav stall on the corner, the one with the never-ending line. You eat it standing, burning hot, the spicy potato in the soft bread, a touch of dry garlic chutney that wakes everything up — two rupees of happiness, na! Between takes, that's what we sneak, even when the dietitian frowns.
Ingredients (period version)
- Potatoes — a few, boiled (fritter heart)
- Chickpea flour (besan) — one bowl (batter)
- Green chili, ginger, garlic — to taste (heat)
- Soft dinner rolls (pav) — 1 per vada (support)
- Curry leaves, mustard seeds — a handful (tempering)
Ingredients
- Potatoes — 500 g (spiced mash)
- Chickpea flour (besan) — 150 g (batter)
- Green chili — 1-2, minced (heat)
- Ginger + garlic — 1 tbsp paste (aromatic)
- Turmeric — 1/2 tsp (color)
- Mustard seeds + curry leaves — 1 tsp + 8 leaves (tempering)
- Soft brioche-style buns (pav or milk buns) — 6 (support)
- Dry garlic-chili chutney — as needed (spicy signature)
- Oil for deep frying — 1 bath (cooking)
Method
- Mash the cooked potatoes, mix with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger-garlic-chili and turmeric; salt. Shape into balls.
- Mix chickpea flour with water, salt and a pinch of turmeric to a thick batter.
- Dip each ball in batter and deep-fry until golden; drain.
- Split the pavs, spread dry garlic-chili chutney.
- Insert the fritter into the bun and serve immediately, very hot.
How it was made : Vada pav was born in 1960s-70s Mumbai as a cheap meal for mill workers; the pav (small bun) is a legacy of Portuguese presence on the west coast. It's a modern dish, essentially urban and popular.
The contemporary twist : Stadium version: served as a trio of mini vada pav on a wooden board, with three chutneys (garlic-chili, coriander, tamarind) to compare.
Abhishek Bachchan · Charactorium
