Vada pav, often referred to as Mumbai’s answer to the burger, is a beloved street food that captures the essence of the city’s vibrant culinary scene. This humble snack, originating from Maharashtra, consists of a spicy potato fritter (vada) sandwiched between a soft bread roll (pav), typically accompanied by tangy chutneys and a fried green chili. It’s a dish that has transcended its street food origins to become an iconic symbol of Mumbai’s fast-paced life. With its simplicity and bold flavors, vada pav has won hearts across India and even beyond its borders.
But if you’re looking to explore beyond the classic vada pav, here are some innovative twists that bring a new dimension to this street food staple:
If you love the classic combination of curry leaf tadka and spicy chutney but are craving some meat, this chicken vada pav recipe by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor is for you. Kapoor has reinvented the vada pav by swapping the traditional potato filling with chicken.
Ingredients: Pavs – 8 (slit in half), Chicken mince – 250 gms, Oil – 1 tbsp, Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp, Chopped curry leaves – 6 to 8, Chopped green chillies – 2, Chopped garlic – 1 tbsp, Haldi – 1 tsp, Freshly chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, Salt to taste, Besan – 1 1/2 cup, Red chilli powder – 1/4 tsp, Jeera powder – 1 tsp, Dhaniya powder – 2 tsps, Baking soda – a pinch; Green chutney, Vada pav sukha chutney, Fried green chillies to serve.
Method: Begin by making a tempering with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, garlic, turmeric powder, and chopped coriander. Mix this with the chicken mince and salt. In a separate bowl, create a semi-thick batter using besan, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Grease your hands with oil and shape the tempered mince into vadas. Dip them into the batter and deep fry until crispy and golden. Drain the excess oil. Spread green chutney on the pavs, layer with sukha chutney, and finish with the vada and fried green chillies.
For those trying to avoid white bread but still craving the flavors of vada pav, this vada pav quesadilla from Bingo Foodbook offers a healthier alternative while maintaining the dish’s core essence.
Ingredients: For stuffing — Oil – 1 tbsp, Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp, Hing – 1/4 tsp, Chopped curry leaves – 5 to 6, Haldi – 1/4 tsp, Green chilli paste – 1 1/2 tbsp, Dry ginger powder- 1 1/2tsp, Carom seeds – 1/8 tsp, Boiled and mashed raw potatoes – 3, Salt to taste; Assembly — Half-cooked wheat rotis, Green chutney, Sweet chutney, Stuffing, Ghee.
Method: Combine all the ingredients for the stuffing. Spread the chutneys and stuffing on one roti and seal with another. Heat ghee on a pan and cook the quesadilla on both sides until fully cooked and crispy.
The croissant vada pav might not have gotten the attention it deserved when it first appeared online in 2021, but it’s an interesting fusion worth trying.
I have died reading Croissant Vada Pav pic.twitter.com/U1EiiB2Pv4
— Sudatta (@iSudatta) February 24, 2021
The flaky croissant serves as the carb element, adding a patty-like texture to each bite, while the potato filling and chutney maintain the authenticity of the vada pav. To make it, simply get vadas and chutney from a vendor and buy a croissant from your favorite convenience store. Slice the croissant, stuff it with the vadas, slather on the chutney, and enjoy the messy, delicious fusion.
One of the most innovative takes on the list, the “ulta vada pav” reimagines the traditional recipe by turning it inside out. This creative version comes from Tarla Dalal.
Ingredients: For potato stuffing — Oil – 1 tbsp, Mustard seeds – 1 tsp, Curry leaves – 6, Chopped garlic – 3/4 tbsp, Chopped ginger – 1 tsp, Chopped green chillies – 1 tsp, Finely chopped onions – 1/4 cup, Haldi – 1/2 tsp, Boiled and mashed potatoes – 1 1/4 cups, Chopped coriander – 1 tbsp, Lemon juice – 1 tsp, Salt to taste; For the besan batter — Besan – 1 1/2 cups, Haldi – 1/2 tsp, Baking soda – 2 pinches, Hot oil – 2 tsp, Salt to taste; Other ingredients — Ladi pav – 10, Garlic chutney, Oil for deep frying; For serving — Dried garlic chutney, Fried green chillies.
Method: Start by preparing the stuffing. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, followed by garlic, ginger, green chillies, onions, turmeric, potatoes, coriander, lemon juice, and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the besan batter with 3/4 cup water. Slather chutney inside the vada pavs and add the stuffing. Reassemble the pav, dip it into the batter, and deep fry until golden brown.
If you’re watching your carbs and calories but still crave the taste of vada pav, this nutty sweet potato vada pav recipe from Cooking with Pree offers a nutritious alternative.
Ingredients: For the vada — Sweet potato – 1 large, Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp, Curry leaves – 4 to 5, Chopped coriander leaves – 2 to 3 tbsps, Haldi – 1/2 tsp, Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp, Finely chopped green chilli – 1, Hing – 1/4 tsp, Salt to taste, Oil as needed; For the batter — Besan – 1/2 cup, Red chilli powder – 1/4 tsp, Haldi – 1/4 tsp, Baking soda – 1/4 tsp, Salt to taste; For the spicy nut chutney — Walnuts – 2 tbsps, Pistachios – 2 tbsps, Chilli powder to taste, Amchur – 1/2 tsp, Jeera – 1/4 tsp, Garlic – 1 clove.
Method: To make the chutney, dry roast the nuts and garlic until aromatic. Then, dry roast the remaining ingredients and blend everything together with salt. Boil, peel, and mash the sweet potato. Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin, chilli, ginger-garlic, and curry leaves, followed by the sweet potatoes, turmeric, chillies, and salt. Once cooled, add coriander leaves. Prepare the besan batter. Shape the mixture into lemon-sized balls, dip in the batter, and fry with minimal oil or use an air fryer. Heat the pavs on a tava, spread the nut chutney and green chutney, and assemble with the vadas.
