Eat With The Pandits

Though there is a lot more to Maharashtrian cuisine, Vada Pav has become absolutely synonymous with the state.

Before the Kirti College vada pav of Bombay topped the popularity charts, the Diwadkars from Karjat were the original rockstars in the game. It was then called the Batata Vada, with the Pav being just a mere accompaniment. Served with fried green chillies sprinkled with salt, and the most divine lasnachi chutney (Garlic chutney), Karjatcha Batata Vada, shall always remain my most precious childhood food memory.

As children , my sister and I traveled to Pune every summer to spend time with my aunt. Onboard the Deccan Queen, (the train that is :) ), we always waited for the halt at Karjat. I still remember middle aged women, (the then employees at the now famed Diwadkars’) dressed in colourful nine yard sarees, running  to the windows with radiant smiles, bearing little tokris . In those days, that’s around 20 years ago, the Diwadkar couple, actually fried the vadas on the platform of Karjat station. That’s how they landed absolutely fresh in those tokris. Priced at a modest Rs. 2, with a generous dash of lasnachi chutney and those green chillies, it was a gastronomic delight!

This weekend when K yearned for some fried goodies with his evening chai, I decided to be the good wife and tried my hand at recreating the Jewel of Karjat.

Recipe

Vada Pav – Ekdum JHAKAAS!! Ingredients

1. 6 large Potatoes boiled and peeled
2. Oil 1 tablespoon + to deep fry
3. Asafoetida a pinch
4. Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
5. 1 tablespoon Green chilli – garlic paste
6. Salt to taste
7. Fresh coriander leaves chopped 1/4 cup
8. Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
9. Loaves of bread pav 8 small
10. Coarse gram flour besan 1 1/4 cups
11. Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
12. Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
13. Soda bicarbonate a small pinch

Instructions

1. To make the batter, place the gram flour in a bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, soda bicarbonate and mix. Add sufficient water and whip to a smooth and thick batter. Set aside for at least fifteen minutes.
2. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, green chilli-garlic paste and mix. Add boiled potatoes and salt and mix. Set aside to cool. Add coriander leaves, lemon juice and mix while mashing the potatoes some more.
3. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape them into balls.
4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the potato balls in the gram flour batter and deep fry till golden and crisp on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper. Slit each pav, spread some dry garlic chutney, place a vada and press lightly.