Vada pav

by Rohit Ghai
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6
30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, chopped
  • 4 curry leaves, finely chopped
  • 15g of coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 45g of gram flour
  • 80ml of water
  • 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
  • salt
  • 6 tbsp of tamarind chutney
  • 6 soft bread rolls, or pav rolls if you can find them

Ghati masala

  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 50g of desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp of roasted peanuts
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • salt, to taste

Method

1
Make the ghati masala by placing the oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic cloves, cook for 1 minute then transfer to a food processor or blender. Toast the sesame seeds for 30 seconds in the same pan, then transfer to the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blitz to a coarse powder, then taste for seasoning. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 15 days
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 50g of desiccated coconut
  • 1 tbsp of roasted peanuts
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
  • salt, to taste
2
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, peel whilst still warm then mash and set aside
  • 3 medium potatoes
3
Place the green chillies and ginger in a pestle and mortar or small food processor and blitz into a paste. Set aside
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 knob of ginger, 0.5 inches long, chopped
4
Add the two teaspoons of vegetable oil to a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds; when they start to sputter and crackle, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and the chilli and ginger paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the turmeric powder and remove from the heat
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
  • 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida
  • 4 curry leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
5
Pour the contents of the pan over the mashed potatoes, then add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Season with salt and mix well, then divide the mixture into 6 even balls. If the mixture starts to stick to your hands, cover them in a little oil to make this easier
  • 15g of coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt
6
Preheat a deep-fat fryer or deep pan of oil to 180°C
7
While the oil is heating up, prepare the vada batter. Place the gram flour, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt in a bowl and slowly start adding the water until a loose thin batter forms (you may not need all the water). If it becomes too thin, you can add a little more gram flour until a coating consistency is achieved
  • 45g of gram flour
  • 1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 80ml of water
8
Dip the potato balls into the batter, ensuring they are well covered, then deep-fry in batches for 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. If you like, you can also deep-fry some green chillies for a minute to serve on top of the buns
9
To serve, cut open the rolls and spread liberally with tamarind chutney. Place the battered potato balls inside, dust with the ghati masala (if using) and serve
  • 6 soft bread rolls, or pav rolls if you can find them
  • 6 tbsp of tamarind chutney