Vada Pav Burgers

Name: Vada Pav Burgers
Prep time: 42 min
Cook time: 56 min
Total time: 1 h 38 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1½ lb (700 g) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, scrubbed, left whole (about 3 medium); 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt, for the boiling water; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola); 1 tsp (4 g) black or brown mustard seeds; ¼ tsp (1 g) asafoetida (hing); 15 leaves (3 g) fresh curry leaves, torn in half; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 2 chilies (10 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), finely minced (seeded for less heat); ½ tsp (1½ g) ground turmeric; 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped, leaves and tender stems; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (100 g) besan (chickpea flour), sifted; 3 tbsp (24 g) rice flour; ¼ tsp (¾ g) ground turmeric; ½ tsp (1½ g) red chili powder or cayenne; ⅛ tsp (0.6 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; ⅔ cup (160 ml) cold water, plus 1–2 tbsp more only if needed; 4 cups (950 ml) neutral oil for deep-frying; 4 chilies (30 g) whole green chilies, slit lengthwise, patted completely dry (optional); ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt, for sprinkling on fried chilies (optional); 2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut; 8 cloves (24 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tsp (6 g) Kashmiri red chili powder; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water; 4 buns (240 g) soft burger buns or potato rolls, split horizontally (about 60 g each)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A burger-sized take on Mumbai's famous street snack: a spiced mustard-seed and curry-leaf potato patty wrapped in a crisp besan batter, deep-fried, and tucked into a buttered toasted bun slathered with fiery garlic chutney.

Prep: 42 min
Cook: 56 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 2 hr 13 min
Makes: 4 burgers (1 large vada each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the potato filling
1½ lb (700 g) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, scrubbed, left whole (about 3 medium)
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt, for the boiling water
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola)
1 tsp (4 g) black or brown mustard seeds
¼ tsp (1 g) asafoetida (hing)
15 leaves (3 g) fresh curry leaves, torn in half
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
2 chilies (10 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), finely minced (seeded for less heat)
½ tsp (1.5 g) ground turmeric
1¼ tsp (7 g) fine sea salt
¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped, leaves and tender stems
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
For the batter and frying
1 cup (100 g) besan (chickpea flour), sifted
3 tbsp (24 g) rice flour
¼ tsp (0.8 g) ground turmeric
½ tsp (1.5 g) red chili powder or cayenne
⅛ tsp (0.6 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
⅔ cup (160 ml) cold water, plus 1–2 tbsp more only if needed
4 cups (950 ml) neutral oil for deep-frying
4 chilies (30 g) whole green chilies, slit lengthwise, patted completely dry (optional)
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt, for sprinkling on fried chilies (optional)
For the garlic chutney
2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
8 cloves (24 g) garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp (6 g) Kashmiri red chili powder
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
For assembly
4 buns (240 g) soft burger buns or potato rolls, split horizontally (about 60 g each)
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened

Equipment (9)

4-quart (3.8 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for frying
Deep-fry/candy thermometer
Large pot (4–5 quart/4–5 L) for boiling potatoes
Large skillet or griddle, 10–12 inch (25–30 cm)
Small skillet, 8-inch (20 cm), for the tempering and toasting coconut
Mini food processor or mortar and pestle
Wire rack set over a baking sheet
Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
Medium mixing bowl and whisk

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: potatoes must be boiled and cooled for 15 minutes, and the shaped patties need 20 minutes in the fridge, so start about 2 hours before serving.
Use a heavy 4-quart (3.8 L) pot or Dutch oven and a deep-fry or candy thermometer. Stable oil temperature is the key to crisp, non-greasy vadas.
Pat the potatoes dry after peeling and don't add water to the filling. Wet filling makes patties that crack or burst in the oil.
Set a wire rack over a baking sheet near the stove for draining the fried vadas.

1
Boil the potatoes
- Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Add the boiling salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, partly covered, for 20–25 minutes.
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Ready when: A paring knife slides into the center of the largest potato with no resistance.
Tip: Keep the skins on while boiling so the potatoes don't absorb water, which would make the filling soggy.
2
Cool and mash
- Drain the potatoes and let them steam-dry in the colander for 15 minutes until you can handle them comfortably.
- Peel off the skins with your fingers, then mash in a large bowl with a potato masher, leaving some small pea-sized lumps for texture.
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Ready when: Mash is mostly smooth with a few small lumps and no longer steaming.
Tip: Don't use a food processor or mixer; overworking releases starch and turns the mash gluey.
3
Make garlic chutney
- In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the coconut for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Tip it into a mini food processor with the garlic, Kashmiri chili powder, chutney salt, lemon juice and water.
- Pulse and scrape down the sides until you have a thick, coarse, spreadable paste.
- Scrape into a small bowl.
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Ready when: Coconut is pale golden and smells nutty; the paste is thick, brick-red and spreadable.
Tip: Take the coconut off the heat the moment it colors; it burns within seconds.
4
Temper the spices
- Wipe out the small skillet and heat the tempering oil over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the mustard seeds and cover loosely; wait 20–30 seconds until they pop.
- Stir in the asafoetida and curry leaves (they will sputter) and cook 15 seconds.
- Add the garlic, ginger and minced green chilies and cook 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant and the garlic is just pale gold.
- Stir in the turmeric and remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Mustard seeds have stopped popping, curry leaves are crisp-looking, and garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Have everything measured before starting; the tempering moves fast and burnt garlic turns bitter.
5
Mix and shape patties
- Scrape the tempered mixture, including the oil, over the mashed potatoes.
- Add the filling salt, cilantro and lemon juice and fold gently until evenly yellow.
- Divide into 4 equal portions (about 175 g each).
- Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a patty about 3½ inches (9 cm) wide and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, smoothing any cracks.
- Place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cool to the touch and hold shape when gently lifted.
Tip: Taste a pinch of the mix now; it should be well seasoned, because the batter will dilute the flavor.
6
Whisk the batter
- While the patties chill, whisk the besan, rice flour, batter turmeric, chili powder, baking soda and batter salt in a medium bowl.
- Pour in the cold water gradually, whisking until completely smooth.
- Let it rest while the patties chill.
- The batter should be thick like pancake batter and coat the back of a spoon in an even layer; whisk in 1–2 tablespoons more water only if it is too stiff to drip off the spoon.
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Ready when: Batter is lump-free and ribbons slowly off the whisk, leaving a thick coating on a spoon.
Tip: Too thin a batter slides off and fries up pale and greasy; too thick gives a doughy shell.
7
Heat the frying oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the frying oil into the 4-quart pot (it should be about 2 inches/5 cm deep).
- Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 350°F (175°C), about 8 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 350°F (175°C); a drop of batter sizzles and floats up immediately.
Tip: Never fill the pot more than halfway with oil, and keep a lid nearby to smother any flare-up.
8
Batter and fryOven 350°F / 175°C
- Working with 2 patties at a time, roll each in the batter to coat completely, let the excess drip off for a few seconds, then lower gently into the oil, away from you.
- Fry 5–6 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and crisp.
- Lift out with a spider, drain on the rack, and return the oil to 350°F (175°C) before the second batch.
- If using, fry the dry slit chilies for 30–45 seconds at the end until blistered, drain, and sprinkle with the chili salt.
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Ready when: Vadas are deep golden brown and crisp, and sound hollow when tapped; oil temperature stays between 325 and 350°F (165–175°C).
Tip: Adjust the heat between batches. Oil below 325°F (165°C) makes greasy vadas; above 375°F (190°C) browns the shell before the center heats.
9
Toast the buns
- Spread the softened butter on the cut sides of the buns.
- Toast cut-side down in a large skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and lightly crisp.
Tip: Toast just before assembly; the crisp surface helps keep the chutney from soaking in.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread 1–2 teaspoons of garlic chutney on both cut sides of each bun.
- Set a hot vada on each bottom bun, add a fried chili alongside if using, and close with the top bun.
- Press gently and serve immediately while the batter is crisp.
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Ready when: Vada is hot and crisp; the bun is warm and slightly crunchy inside.
Tip: Assemble one at a time as people are ready to eat, as a rested burger loses its crunch within about 10 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Season the potato filling boldly; the batter and bun mute the salt and spice.
Fry in two batches. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature and makes soggy, oily vadas.
If a patty cracks while shaping, wet your hands lightly and smooth it. Dry hands make cracks worse.
Make a double batch of garlic chutney; it's also great on fried eggs, sandwiches and roasted potatoes.

Make ahead

Boil, mash and season the potato filling and shape the patties up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. The garlic chutney keeps 5 days in the fridge. Batter and fry just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Store leftover fried vadas (without buns) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat on a rack in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 10–12 minutes or in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 6–8 minutes until crisp. Freeze unfried shaped patties up to 1 month on a tray, then bag them; thaw overnight in the fridge before battering. Garlic chutney keeps 5 days in the fridge or 1 month frozen. Room temperature: no more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

fresh curry leaves → Omit them, or add 1 tsp extra lemon juice and a little extra cilantro. The flavor will be less distinctive; dried curry leaves are a weak substitute, so use double the amount if you must.
asafoetida (hing) → ¼ tsp garlic powder. Adds savory depth, though it lacks hing's onion-like aroma.
rice flour → Cornstarch. Use the same amount; it still crisps the shell.
soft burger buns or potato rolls → Soft pav rolls or slider buns. Traditional pav is smaller and softer; use 8 small rolls and halve the patties for 8 mini vada pavs.