Tag: chutney

Snacks, Street Foods

Vada Pav – Mumbai’s Beloved Street Snack

Puspa

I still remember the first time I bit into a sizzling hot Bada Pao (Vada Pav) on a rainy Mumbai afternoon. The spicy potato vada – crunchy and golden – nestled inside a pillowy soft pav bun, hit all the right notes. As I walked along the busy street, steam rising from the paper wrapper, the pungent aroma of garlic and chili chutneys filled the air. It was a simple pleasure, but one I’ll never forget. Bada Pao (also spelled Vada Pav) is, as one food blogger puts it, “Mumbai’s beloved street food sensation” often nicknamed the “Indian burger”.  In essence, it’s a vegetarian fast-food sandwich: a deep-fried spicy mashed-potato fritter placed inside a sweet bun and typically served with a green chili and flavorful chutneys.  This humble snack has become so iconic that it’s said to be the most famous street food of Mumbai – so famous, in fact, that August 23 is even celebrated as World Vada Paav Day.

Growing up, I watched my mum prepare the potato filling with care. She would boil and mash potatoes, then sauté mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies in a little oil. A pinch of turmeric and salt went in for color and taste, and the mixture was stirred into the potatoes along with chopped coriander. After it cooled, she shaped the spicy mash into round patties. Meanwhile, we’d whisk gram flour (besan) into a batter with a little water – sometimes adding a pinch of baking soda or rice flour for extra fluff. Each patty was coated in that batter and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside.

No Vada Pav is complete without chutney. I always smear the split pav with homemade green cilantro-mint chutney and a dry garlic-chili (lasun) chutney – the classic accompaniments. The combination of tangy cilantro, pungent garlic, and heat from chilies is what really makes each bite pop. The first time I made this at home, it transported me back to the streets of Mumbai – and even reminded me that this was originally an affordable snack for mill workers in the 1960s. Today it’s a cultural symbol; one of my favorite childhood memories is sharing Bada Pao with my friends after school.

Now let’s bring those Mumbai flavors into your kitchen. The ingredients and steps below will guide you through a delicious homemade Bada Pao (Vada Pav). Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pav buns: 4 soft dinner rolls (Indian pav)

Potatoes: 4 medium russet or red potatoes, boiled and mashed

For the potato filling: 1 tsp mustard seeds, pinch of asafoetida (hing), ¼ tsp turmeric, 2 tsp ginger (grated), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2–3 green chilies (chopped), 12–15 curry leaves, salt to taste, and handful of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Gram flour batter: ¾ cup besan (gram flour), pinch of baking soda (optional for fluffiness), pinch of turmeric, pinch of red chili powder, salt to taste, and water to make a thick batter

Oil: for deep frying

Chutneys & toppings: Homemade or store-bought green cilantro-mint chutney and dry garlic-peanut chutney (lasun chutney); sliced onions and fried green chilies (optional) for serving


Instructions

1. Make the potato masala: In a pan, heat 1–2 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add hing, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Sauté for a minute until fragrant. Stir in the turmeric, salt and mashed potatoes, then mix well. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in chopped coriander. Let the mixture cool slightly. Divide it into 4–6 equal portions and shape each into a round patty about 1½–2 inches wide and ½ inch thick.


2. Prepare the batter: In a bowl, whisk together gram flour, a pinch of salt, baking soda (if using), turmeric and chili powder. Gradually add water and whisk to make a smooth, lump-free batter that coats the back of a spoon (it should be neither too thick nor too runny).


3. Fry the vadas: Heat oil in a deep skillet or kadhai over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (test by dropping a bit of batter – it should sizzle and rise), dip each potato patty into the batter, ensuring an even coat. Use a slotted spoon to gently lower it into the oil. Fry 2–3 vadas at a time, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crisp all over (about 3–4 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towels.


4. Warm the pav buns: While the vadas fry, warm a griddle (tawa) over medium heat. Slice each pav bun horizontally, leaving one edge attached. Lightly toast the buns on the griddle (you can spread a bit of butter if you like) until they are just golden. Remove and keep warm.


5. Assemble the Bada Pao: Spread a generous layer of green chutney on one side of each bun and sprinkle some dry garlic-chili chutney on the other side. Place a hot vada (batata vada) inside the bun, pressing lightly. If desired, add sliced raw onion or a fried green chili inside for extra crunch and heat. Serve the assembled Bada Paos immediately – they are best enjoyed hot and fresh!



Tips

Adjust the spice: You can control the heat by adding fewer green chilies to the potato mix or reducing the chili powder in the batter. If cooking for kids, omit extra chilies and serve hot sauce on the side.

Make it extra crispy: For crunchier vadas, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of rice flour into the gram flour batter. Also, ensure the batter is not too thick – a thinner coating fries up lighter.

Even coating trick: Use a spoon to tap off any excess batter from the vada before frying. A slotted spoon is handy for lowering the batter-coated vada into hot oil smoothly.

Chutneys in advance: Both green cilantro chutney and dry garlic chutney can be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. This saves time and lets flavors meld. Add a swirl of sweet tamarind-chutney for a tangy twist if you like.

Use fresh pav: Authentic Vada Pav has soft, slightly sweet buns. If you can find Indian pav rolls (like from a bakery or Indian grocery), that’s ideal. Otherwise, plain soft dinner rolls work; avoid very sweet hamburger buns.

Serve hot: Vada Pav is best enjoyed immediately. The vada should be hot from the fryer and the chutneys vibrant. If storing leftovers, reheat vadas in a pan to crisp them up, then assemble.


Enjoy your homemade Bada Pao with a cup of masala chai for the full Mumbai experience. Each bite of spicy potato vada and tangy chutneys will transport you to the bustling streets of Mumbai just like it did for me. I hope this recipe brings you the same joy and nostalgia it brings me – happy cooking!

chutney

Oou Khata (Elephant Apple Chutney)

Puspa


I still remember the monsoon afternoons at Grandma’s house in Odisha, with the sky dark and rain drumming on the tin roof. My cousins and I would dash into her courtyard, where the wild Oou (elephant apple) tree towered overhead. Fresh green fruits would tumble down after a big storm, and Grandma would scoop us up in a gleeful rush. The sour, tangy aroma of those fruit instantly brightened the air. She’d peel the prickly skin, grind mustard and cumin seeds on her heavy stone mortar, and stir up a bubbling pan of chutney that smelled of turmeric, mustard oil and jaggery. One bite of her homemade Oou Khata – hot steamed rice, dalma and a spoonful of that sweet-and-sour pickle – could chase all winter blues away. Those tastes and smells are pure comfort to me, a rain-soaked hug in a bowl.

I’ve learned that this Elephant Apple chutney is more than just a delicious snack; it’s a seasonal ritual. In Odisha, Oou is legendary for its sharp sourness, so cooks always add a good amount of jaggery (or sugar) to balance it. In fact, one Odisha food blog explains: *“Elephant apple (Ouu) is a sour fruit, so sugar or jaggery is added to it while cooking to get a sweet-n-sour taste.”*.  We always made this khata (sour chutney) around the end of the rains – just as another blogger notes, *“Elephant Apple Chutney (Ouu Khatta) is a typical recipe of Odisha prepared in every household mostly in post monsoon season.”*.  And just like at Grandma’s home, it was often cooked simply without any onion or garlic, especially during festival days. Those traditions made each spoonful of Oou Khata taste like home – a little sour, a little sweet, and completely heartwarming.

Ingredients

Oou (Elephant apple): 1 large (about 250g) – peel off the skin and cut into 1–2″ pieces

Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon (mustard “rai”)

Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon (jeera)

Dry red chilies: 2–3 (adjust for heat)

Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon

Panch phoron: ½–1 teaspoon (optional Bengali five-spice mix: mustard, cumin, fennel, nigella, fenugreek)

Curry leaves: 5–6 leaves (optional, for aroma)

Jaggery (gur) or brown sugar: ⅓ cup, grated (add more or less to taste)

Oil: 1 tablespoon (mustard oil for authentic flavor, or any neutral cooking oil)

Salt: to taste (about ½–1 teaspoon)

Water: as needed (for boiling and simmering)

Optional: A small piece of ginger (mashed) or a teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste – skip if avoiding onion/garlic.


Instructions

1. Grind the spices. In a small bowl or mortar, combine the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and 1 dry red chili. Grind or blend into a smooth paste, adding a little water if needed. (This fragrant paste is called “besa” in Odia.) Set aside.


2. Prep the elephant apple. Pull away any green outer petals and peel off the thick skin of the oou. Chop the peeled fruit into long strips or bite-size pieces (about 1–2″). Gently crush each piece with the back of a spoon or pestle – this releases more flavor as it cooks.


3. Boil the fruit. Place the chopped elephant apple in a saucepan with about 2 cups water, ¼ teaspoon turmeric and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes, until the oou pieces are just tender. Drain and reserve the cooked fruit (you can also use a pressure cooker for 1–2 whistles).


4. Tempering (tadka). Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the panch phoron and remaining whole dry chilies; let them sizzle and pop. Add the curry leaves (if using) and fry briefly – you’ll smell their nutty aroma.


5. Sauté the fruit. Add the boiled elephant apple pieces to the hot pan. Stir and fry for 2–3 minutes so the pieces get lightly coated in the oil and spices.


6. Add the paste. Stir in the mustard–cumin paste you made, along with turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook for another minute to remove any raw flavor. The mixture will smell sharp and mustardy.


7. Simmer with jaggery. Pour in about ½ cup of water (or more if you like a thinner chutney) and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on medium-low for 8–10 minutes. The gravy will thicken slightly.


8. Sweeten the chutney. Add the grated jaggery (or sugar) and a pinch of chili powder if you want extra heat. Stir until the jaggery melts and blends into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning – add a little more salt or jaggery as needed. Remove from heat when you have a glossy, sweet-and-sour chutney coating the fruit.


9. Serve warm. Spoon the Oou Khata into a bowl and let it cool slightly. It’s traditionally served at room temperature. I like to garnish with a few fresh coriander leaves just before serving.



Tips & Variations

Sweetener swap: Jaggery gives the most authentic taste, but you can use brown sugar or even regular sugar in a pinch. (Add it gradually; you want the chutney tangy, not cloyingly sweet.)

More tang: If your elephant apples aren’t very sour, you can squeeze in a teaspoon of lemon or tamarind juice for extra zing.

Oil choice: Mustard oil lends a rustic pungency to Oou Khata. If you don’t have it, any neutral oil is fine. (A tiny drizzle of sesame oil at the end also adds a nice touch.)

Onion/garlic option: For a non-fasting version, you could sauté a chopped onion or a little minced garlic along with the tempering spices. This gives extra depth but is completely optional – the recipe is delicious even without them.

Spice variation: Swap panch phoron for a simple tempering of mustard and cumin seeds alone. You can also add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) in the oil if you skip the curry leaves – it mimics that savory aroma.

Make ahead: Like many chutneys, this tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in the fridge (in a sealed jar) for up to 2–3 days – the flavors will mellow and blend as it sits.


Each time you stir a spoonful of this chutney into your rice and dal, I promise you’ll be transported back to my grandmother’s kitchen, rain pattering on the roof and kids laughing on the porch. Oou Khata is humble and homely – just like the memories it’s tied to. I hope this recipe brings a little of that old Odisha warmth into your home. Whenever you make it, do enjoy it with some hot chhena dalma or plain dal and steaming rice. Happy cooking and जय ଓଡ଼ିଶା (Jai Odisha)!