Vada Pav with Garlic Chutney

Ingredients

• 700 g potatoes, boiled until tender, peeled and coarsely mashed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for the potato filling
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1½ cups gram flour (besan)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder, for the batter
• ¾ tsp salt, for the batter
• 250 ml water, approximately, for the batter
• 750 ml vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 6 soft dinner buns (pav), split but left hinged
• 1 tbsp butter, for toasting the buns
• 4 tbsp dry garlic chutney (recipe below: 1 tbsp oil, 8 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp desiccated coconut, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 0.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar)
• 4 tbsp green chutney (coriander, mint, green chilli, lemon)
• 6 green chillies, for frying and serving

Instructions

1. Make the dry garlic chutney first. Warm 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over low heat and toast the desiccated coconut for 1 to 2 minutes until light golden, then tip it out. Pound the 8 garlic cloves with the salt to a rough paste, mix in the coconut, Kashmiri chilli powder and sugar, and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then add the curry leaves and asafoetida and stir for 10 seconds.
3. Add the ginger, garlic and chopped green chillies and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in 0.5 tsp turmeric.
4. Add the mashed potatoes, 1.5 tsp salt, coriander and lemon juice. Mix well, cook for 2 minutes, then cool for 10 minutes so it is easy to handle.
5. Divide the potato mixture into 6 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball, then flatten slightly into a thick patty. If the mixture feels sticky, chill it for 10 minutes.
6. Whisk the gram flour, baking soda, chilli powder, 0.25 tsp turmeric and 0.75 tsp salt in a bowl. Add water gradually, whisking to a thick, smooth batter that coats the back of a spoon in a thick layer. Rest for 5 minutes.
7. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 170–175°C, or until a drop of batter rises to the top within a few seconds. Keep the heat at medium.
8. Dip a potato ball in the batter, turn to coat fully, and lower it gently into the oil. Fry 3 balls at a time, turning occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack or paper towels.
9. Fry the 6 green chillies in the same oil for about 30 seconds until blistered, then drain and sprinkle with a little salt.
10. Warm a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and toast the cut sides of the buns for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
11. Spread green chutney on one side of each bun and sprinkle dry garlic chutney on the other. Place a hot vada inside, press gently, add a fried chilli on the side and serve straight away.

Tips

• Cool the potato mixture before shaping; warm mash is soft and the vadas can break apart in the oil.
• Keep the batter thick. If it is too thin the coating turns pale and oily; add a spoonful of gram flour if needed.
• Fry in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop, which keeps the crust crisp.
• Use dry, floury potatoes such as old potatoes and avoid over-mashing so the filling stays fluffy.