Name: Vada Pav With Dry Coconut-Garlic Chutney
Ingredients: ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, smashed; 2 tsp. Kashmiri chile powder or paprika; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ½ tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 cup chickpea flour; 2 Tbsp. rice flour; 3½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more; 1 tsp. ground turmeric, divided; ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper; 2 lb. medium russet potatoes, peeled; 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. vegetable oil, plus more for frying (about 8 cups); 10 fresh curry leaves; 1 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped; 12 green Thai chiles, 2 thinly sliced, 10 whole; ⅛ tsp. asafetida; 1 tsp. black mustard seeds; ½ bunch cilantro, leaves chopped; 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice; 6 kaiser rolls, split; Homemade or store-bought cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney (for serving; optional); A deep-fry thermometer

Tall vada pav sandwich on a terrazo background.

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

Street food is one of the things I miss most about living in India—specifically vada pav. Imagine a hearty, aromatic potato patty with a crisp chickpea flour exterior, which gets served on a soft, savory bun, topped with a simple, flavorful dry coconut-garlic chutney, and paired with fried green chiles. Vada here refers to the deep-fried potato patty and pav to the bun. Serve with drizzles of cilantro and tamarind chutneys (homemade or store-bought) for a fresh spicy kick and some sweetness. While vada pav might be a labor of love, you’ll be rewarded in flavor for the effort. —Rachel Gurjar

Watch Rachel make this vada pav on our YouTube channel.

What you’ll need

Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Medium Skillet
$70 $50 At Amazon
Whisk
$14 $13 At Amazon
Deep-Fry Thermometer
$16 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$17 At Amazon

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

37 Vegetarian Indian Recipes for Warming Dal, Creamy Paneer, and Crunchy Chaat
On this list of vegetarian Indian recipes, you’ll find cozy meatless dinners and crispy party snacks galore.

Coconut Chicken Katsu With Smashed Cucumbers

These crispy cutlets feature a coconut-breadcrumb coating and sriracha mayo. Pair with a bright cuke salad to turn into a meal.

Camélia’s Sweet Potato Gratin

With salty-sweet miso butter, chives, and savory flakes of nori, this cheesy sweet potato gratin recipe bears little resemblance to traditional versions.

Silken Tofu With Black Bean Garlic Sauce

A homemade black bean sauce is better than anything you can find in the grocery store. Plus, the 15-minute dinner you can make with it.

Grilled Purple Sweet Potato Salad

Charred purple potato salad with mayo, lemon, and soy is smoky, creamy, and designed to be the star of any summer picnic or barbecue.

Green Falafel Smash Burgers

Herby chickpea falafel gets the veggie burger treatment with harissa mayo and pickled onion.

Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves

Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.

Shrimp and Pea Pancake

Inspired by Korean pajeon, this shrimp-studded pancake features fresh snap peas as a spring-y addition.

Baan Mae’s Thom Khem Thaohu

Slowly caramelized sugar, sweet lychees, warming spices, and fiery ginger create the perfect base for tofu to simmer in.

Recipe notes

37 Vegetarian Indian Recipes for Warming Dal, Creamy Paneer, and Crunchy Chaat