Vada Pav Recipe

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert. Place the trivet inside and arrange the potatoes on top of the trivet. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure release valve to sealing. Pressure cook for 15 minutes, then allow for natural pressure release. Note: You can also steam potatoes on the stovetop.
Allow the potatoes to cool, then peel off the skin and cut them into small cubes.
Roughly crush the coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle, and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add asafetida, turmeric, crushed cumin and coriander seeds, ginger, green chili, and curry leaves, and cook for one minute.
Add the potatoes and salt, mixing thoroughly and roughly mashing them with the back of a spatula or a masher to create a smooth filling. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, then garnish with cilantro. Mix well and let it cool. Shape the mixture into round balls and flatten them to make vadas about 2 inches wide and ½ inch thick. You should be able to make 10 to 12 vadas

Add besan to a mixing bowl. Lightly crush the ajwain seeds by rubbing them between your palms to release their aroma, then add them to the bowl along with turmeric and salt. Gradually add water, mixing well to create a smooth, flowing batter. Add baking soda just before you are ready to fry, and give it a quick stir.

Heat oil in a frying pan or kadai. To check the oil temperature, drop a few drops of batter into the oil; they should rise quickly within 10 seconds.
Dip your fingers into the batter, then gently shake your hand over the oil to form small, roundish balls (known as Chura) in the oil. Ensure your fingertips are at least 6 inches above the oil to avoid the hot oil from splattering on your hands. Fry on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until they turn lightly golden and crispy. Remove the Chura with a slotted spatula and drain on a paper towel-lined dish. Repeat the process until you have about 1 cup of fried Chura. Allow it to cool.
Add whole green chilies to the hot oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle salt over the fried chilies. These chilies are optional but for a full Mumbai street-style taste you must try it at least once.
Dip the shaped vada one at a time into the batter. Use a spoon to generously coat it on all sides, lift and tilt the spoon to remove any excess batter, to create a thin layer of coating around the vada. Carefully add the vada to the hot oil using the spoon. Repeat with another 2 or 3 vadas.
Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes, turning halfway through. Fry the remaining vadas in batches.

Add garlic, fried chura, coconut, salt, and Kashmiri red chili powder to the grinder jar. Grind until all the ingredients are well incorporated, forming a slightly coarse chutney.

Add cilantro, green chili, garlic, cumin seeds, roasted chana dal (or fried chura), salt, sugar, lemon juice, and water to a blender jar and blend until smooth.

Slice the pav in the center without cutting it all the way through.
Spread green chutney on one side and tamarind chutney on the other. Place a vada on the green chutney side, then sprinkle garlic chutney and chura on top of the vada. Add a green chili on top, then gently press the pav closed.
Assemble the remaining vadas just before serving.