Ulta Vada Pav (Crispy Besan-Coated Stuffed Pav)
Small pav stuffed with tempered potato masala, dipped in spiced besan-rice batter, and deep-fried until crisp outside and soft inside. Optional chutneys inside. Hot-oil timing tips included.
Equipment
- Heavy kadai or deep Dutch oven
- Slotted spoon and long tongs
- Mixing bowls
- Wide shallow dish for battering
- Kitchen paper for draining
Ingredients
For the potato filling
- 2 medium potatoes boiled until tender, peeled and mashed
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- Pinch asafoetida (hing), optional
- 1 to 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt, to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
For the besan batter
- 1 1/2 cups besan gram flour
- 3 tablespoons rice flour
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder to taste
- Pinch hing (asafoetida)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- About 1 cup cold water, added gradually as needed
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda stir in just before frying; optional
To assemble and fry
- 4 to 5 small pav rolls
- Green chutney and dry garlic chutney, optional, for spreading inside
- Neutral oil for deep frying (2 to 3 inches depth in kadai)
- Long green chilies, optional, fried to serve
Instructions
Make the potato filling
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds; when they pop, add hing if using, green chilies, garlic, and ginger paste. Cook until garlic no longer smells raw.
- Stir in turmeric, then mashed potato and salt. Cook together about 1 minute so the mash picks up the tempering. Off the heat, stir in lemon juice and coriander. Cool slightly.
Make the besan batter
- Whisk besan, rice flour, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, hing, and salt in a bowl. Add cold water a little at a time until the batter is smooth and pourable, a bit thicker than dosa batter and thinner than idli batter.
- Rest 5 minutes, whisk again. If using baking soda, stir it in just before frying.
Assemble the stuffed pav
- Slice pav horizontally, keeping a hinge if possible. Optionally spread green chutney on one side and dry garlic chutney on the other (use a thin layer if chutney is wet).
- Shape a compact ball of potato filling to fit each pav, press gently between halves, and close firmly.
Fry
- Heat oil to about 175 to 185°C (350 to 365°F). Dip one stuffed pav in batter, let excess drip briefly, lower into oil almost flat with the top side down first. Hold 5 to 6 seconds, then flip so the batter sets evenly.
- Fry, turning as needed, until deep golden and crisp, about 2 1/2 to 4 minutes per batch depending on size. Drain upright on kitchen paper. Fry in batches without crowding the pan.
Notes
Small pav coats and fries more evenly than large buns.
If batter slides off, oil is often too cool or batter too thin: thicken with a spoon of besan, rest 2 minutes, and reheat oil between batches.
Very wet chutney can make seals leak; use a thin smear or skip chutney inside.
Commercial pav may contain dairy or eggs; check labels for strict vegan needs.
Best eaten hot from the fryer. Leftovers soften; re-crisp in an air fryer or hot oven a few minutes if needed.
If batter slides off, oil is often too cool or batter too thin: thicken with a spoon of besan, rest 2 minutes, and reheat oil between batches.
Very wet chutney can make seals leak; use a thin smear or skip chutney inside.
Commercial pav may contain dairy or eggs; check labels for strict vegan needs.
Best eaten hot from the fryer. Leftovers soften; re-crisp in an air fryer or hot oven a few minutes if needed.
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