Vada Pav (Indian Deep-Fried Potato Balls on Rolls)

I first encountered vada pav—a deep-fried ball of spiced potatoes between a fluffy dinner roll—after moving to Mumbai. Though I grew up eating vada (the fried potato that some call an alu bonda), it was not served inside a pav, a roll Portuguese colonizers introduced to India. There was something so incredibly pleasing about the contrast of the soft bread with the crispness of the potato. Two different chutneys—one garlic and the other cilantro—made the snack even more enticing. I fell in love with it straightaway. 

Vada is a common name for things that are ball-shaped and fried, like dal vada (made with lentils), alu vada (made with potatoes), and other vegetable vadas. The vada pav is one of the most popular street foods from Mumbai, and since the snack’s inception in the 1960s, it has become increasingly popular around the world. According to BBC correspondent Charukesi Ramadurai, many believe that Ashok Vaidya, a vendor who sold the sandwiches across from Dadar train station in Mumbai, invented the vada pav in 1966. A cheap grab-and-go meal for the many workers of Mumbai, vada pav is eaten throughout the day, and many stalls offer them freshly-made all day long. The sandwich, Ramadurai writes, “is synonymous with the city of Mumbai, with almost every resident, from factory workers to Bollywood stars, unabashed in declaring their love for it.” 

When I lived in Mumbai, all my local friends had a favorite vada pav stall. They each raved about the vendor they frequented and insisted it was the best place to go. To be honest, I don’t remember having a bad vada pav in all the years I lived in Mumbai. It really is something that’s difficult to get wrong. They’re especially good when they’re fresh out of the fryer and still hot. If you’re lucky, you might reach a stall just as they’re making a new batch.

How to Make Vada Pav at Home

The best potatoes to use for vada pav are starchy ones. Here in the U.K., I like to use maris piper potatoes as they’re light and fluffy when mashed, and russets would be a good choice in the States. I recommend boiling the potatoes fresh, as it’s easier to incorporate the spices into the warm potatoes. The batter should have a consistency similar to that of pancake batter. Too thick, and you’ll end up with an overly doughy exterior that won’t crisp up properly. Too thin, and there won’t be enough batter to cover the vadas. You want something in-between that’s just liquidy enough to evenly coat the vadas so you can taste the batter without it getting soggy. 

The chutneys add magic to the vada pav. The one made with coriander and mint is refreshing, light, and vibrant, and brings necessary sharpness to counter the heaviness of the potatoes, while the garlic chutney brings a rich, savory note. Together with the vada and fried green chile, the flavors and textures are truly sensational. It’s no surprise that the vada pav is loved by all and that it is increasingly becoming more popular around the world.