Hindi-Chini vada bhai

This post has been in my mind for a long time - over a year and a half! Well, finally got around to doing it :)

On his trip back home after a long time in New York, Aditya wanted to dig into a vada pav, but that opportunity had somehow eluded him until the day we were walking down Tardeo Road from Haji Ali. Nestled on a corner near the signal in the AC market area in Mumbai, there is a snack place that has a number of vadas ready and stacked for passers-by to pick up quickly. Not wanting to miss that opportunity, we quickly ordered two. My first clue should have been the spicy Chinese sauce (albeit, an Indian concoction!) that was served as a condiment. Well, the bulb didn't click then. One bite and we were hit by some snazzy schezuan taste. The sauce on the side added oodles of flavour to the whole gastronomic ensemble. All this for a mere seven bucks. We had just sampled the ultimate fusion food - the Chinese vada pav! The two countries may have had innumerable influences on each other, but this definitely must be the most interesting :) It is as good as fusion gets on the streets of Mumbai.

I have been talking about it so much, that everyone at my former office wanted to be treated with the Chinese vada pav. I also wrote a tiny piece for the magazine, Youth Incorporated. Alas, when I went to get some for all of us one monsoon evening, the stall owner told me he had discontinued the item.

Ever since I ate it with Aditya, I wanted to try it out at home. Finally, today was the day! For the recipe of the accompanying schezuan sauce, I turned to India's very own Tarla aunty. I made one batch as per her proportions. Saved the rest for later. I must say, the result was pretty amazing. It was easy to tell, since my brother Mihir came to the kitchen and asked "What's cooking?"

"Chinese vada pav."

"The schezuan smells niiiice..."

Schezuan in the making

Well, that set my mood. Also, I did the non-fried version not only for health purposes, but also because I did not want to heat so much oil and then re-use it later. My appakara vessel to the rescue. It is easily available in any stainless steel vessel store in India, or at Indian stores abroad.

Well, I will not be between you and the wonderful taste of this snack any more. Be happy, the recipe uses minimal oil! Here goes: 

Chinese vada pav

Ingredients (makes about 6-7 vadas)

For the filling

Boiled potatoes - 3-4 medium

Beetroots - 2 tablespoons (grated with a fine cheese grater)

Carrots - 2 tablespoons (grated with a fine cheese grater)

Cabbage - 1 tablespoon (grated with a fine cheese grater)

Spring onions - 1 tablespoon (chopped extremely fine, a bit of green, a bit of white)

Soaking the chillies for the schezuan

Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon (grated with a fine cheese grater)

Salt - 1 teaspoon, then adjust to your taste

Ground pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Soy sauce - 1 teaspoon

White vinegar - 1 teaspoon

Schezuan sauce - 1 tablespoon (Refer to Tarla Dalal's recipe)

Oil - 1 teaspoon

For the coating

Chickpea flour - 2 tablespoons

Asafoetida (hing) - a tiny pinch

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon, then adjust

Water - 3 tablespoons, to get a batter consistency

Oil to shallow fry - 2-3 tablespoons

To serve

Schezuan sauce

Ketchup (since Indian's eat it with almost anything, but optional)

Pav - 6

Piece of newspaper or cheap paper plate to serve on - A must!

Method

1. Lets tackle the filling first. In a small pan, heat the oil and add the ginger when its hot. Once the ginger sizzles, add the veggies - carrots, beetroots, spring onions and cabbage. Saute for about two minutes and add the schezuan sauce salt, and pepper. Turn off the heat. Allow it to cool for 5-7 minutes.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the potatoes and add the above mixture and mix well. Make sure that the beetroot red colour spreads across the potatoes and the colour is even.

3. Add the soy sauce and vinegar, and mix well. Be sure to taste, and adjust any flavours to your choice.

4. Once the filling is ready, divide it evenly into 6-7 medium size balls.

Ready to go into the fryer

5. In another small mixing bowl, mix the batter for coating. Take the chikpea flour, add the salt and asafoetida. Then add the water spoon by spoon and mix the batter so that there are no lumps. Make sure you have a smooth batter of a consistency thicker than pancakes or dosa.

6. Heat the appakara vessel, and when hot, put a drop of oil in each of the seven sections. Alternatively, you could deep fry the vadas in hot oil over a medium flame.

7. Dip each ball of the filling in the batter, coat it evenly and then fry (shallow or deep).

Done done done!

8. Be sure to turn your vadas over, and fry until golden brown on each side.

9. Cut the pav from the centre, place the vada in it, and serve it with schezuan sauce on the side.

Dig dig dig in!

10. Wait no more, just devour! Slurrp.

Truly international ;-)

11. Wash it down with a glass of delicious and cold aam panna (raw mango coulis).