Baked Vadapao

When I first came across this recipe, I thought it was a really interesting innovation but I had made up my mind that it would be difficult to recreate. But when I referred to various YouTube sites, I ventured into it and the result was absolutely great the first time! The best part is that the vadas are not deep fried, so it is healthy as well.

Prep Time: 2 hr 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

For the pav

• 250 gms Maida

• 1 tsp yeast

• 80 ml Warm milk

• 50 ml Warm water

• 1 tsp Sugar

• 1 tsp Salt

• 1 tbsp Butter

For the vadas

• 2 Boiled mashed potatoes

• to taste salt

• 2 Finely chopped green chillies

• 1 tsp Turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp Ginger paste

• 1 tbsp Oil

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds

• 4-5 Curry leaves

• 1 tsp red chilli powder

• 1 tsp Coriander powder

• 1 tsp Chaat masala

• Finely chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

For garlic chutney

• 3 Garlic cloves

• to taste salt

• 5 red chillies

Instructions

For chutney

1. Grind together the red chillies and the garlic cloves to a fine paste or powder and keep aside

For the vadas

1. In a pan take oil and splutter mustard seeds

2. Add turmeric powder, green chillies, curry leaves and ginger paste and saute till the raw smell of the ginger goes away

3. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and chaat masala and mix well incorporating the spices well into the mixture

4. Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

5. Make lemon sized equal balls, flatten it a bit, add a small pinch of garlic chutney, close and reform a ball. Cover and keep refrigerated.

For the pav

1. Mix warm milk and water in a measuring cup

2. In a small cup add sugar, yeast and add some milk water mixture and thoroughly mix well. Keep the yeast aside to bloom.

3. In a mixing bowl add flour and salt and mix well

4. Add the yeast mixture and the rest of the water-milk mixture and knead a dough (liquid depends on the maida, I needed almost 140 ml)

5. Incorporate butter into the dough and knead once again

6. Once mixed well, sprinkle a little flour on your platform and knead hard into a pliable dough for 5-7 mins to make it a nice smooth soft dough

7. Throw and pat it hard on the platform 2 or 3 times and then roll it into a smoother ball. Keep it covered and well greased for an hour in a warm place.

8. Once it is doubled in size, punch it and knead it once again.

9. Make equal size balls out of the dough

To proceed

1. Take a ball and stretch and knead twice

2. Pat it to make a flat puri. Put a ball of the potato filling and seal it well

3. Roll the balls within your palm on your platform and make a smooth ball. Follow the same for all the dough and filling.

4. Line these filled in a greased square baking tray leaving a little space between each pao

5. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for another half an hour, it will increase a little more

6. Brush the top with milk and bake them for 12-15 mins till the top gets light golden in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C

7. Once out of the oven, brush the pao’s with butter

8. Wait for it to cool a bit and have it as it is (you do not need chutney as it is already stuffed inside the filling) – this can be had for dinner as well