Masala Vada Pav

Ingredients 

Vada

• 4 large potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1½ tablespoons ginger-garlic-green chilli-coriander leaf paste
• ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves chopped
• 2 cups gram flour (besan)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 pinch baking soda

Masala pav

• 8 pavs slit
• Butter as required
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 small green capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves chopped + to garnish
• 1 tablespoon red chilli paste
• 1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Green coconut chutney to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add ½ tsp asafoetida, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic-green chilli-coriander leaf paste, mix well and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add ¼ turmeric powder and potatoes and mix well. Add salt and fresh coriander leaves and mix well. Set aside to cool.
3. Take gram flour in a bowl, add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, remaining asafoetida, remaining turmeric powder, salt, baking soda and sufficient water, and whisk well to make a semi-thick batter.
4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
5. Divide the potato mixture into equal portions, shape them into balls and flatten them slightly. Dip each portion in the gram flour batter and slide into hot oil. Deep-fry till golden and crisp on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper.
6. Heat 2 tbsps butter in a non-stick tawa, let it melt. Add onion and sauté till golden brown.
7. Add ginger-garlic paste, mix well and sauté for 30 seconds. Add tomato, mix well and sauté for 4-5 minutes or till pulpy. Add capsicum, coriander leaves and red chilli paste and mix well.
8. Add pav bhaji masala, salt and ½ cup water. Mash the mixture well with a masher. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining butter and lemon juice and mix well. Slide the cooked mixture on the sides of the tawa.
9. Add a little butter in the middle of the tawa and let it melt. Place the pavs on it and cook for 30 seconds.
10. Flip them and apply ¾ of the cooked mixture on the inner side, and fold in half. Apply the remaining mixture on top of the pavs. Cook for 30 seconds.
11. Transfer 2 pavs onto each plate, place one cooked vada in the middle of each masala pav. Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top. Serve hot with green coconut chutney.