There are varieties of chutneys available in the country coming from different cultures and cuisines. Chutneys are supposed to enhance the taste of the main dish and are found in varieties ranging from sweet, spicy, tangy to both sweet and spicy. These are the flavour enhancers and work no less than magic to add that perfect kick to the main dish. Despite being varieties of chutneys available, few are just the trademark of a particular dish and one of such kind is the dry garlic chutney put in between the buns of vada pavs making people fall in love with the taste.
Whenever the name Vada Pav comes, it gets associated with the city Mumbai. Vada Pav is the most famous Maharashtrian dish which is known and loved all over the country. But what makes a simple pav with a batata vada so special? It is the spicy dry garlic and chilli chutney which multiplies the taste a hundred times. This chutney holds the perfect spiciness and is the hero ingredient inside a vada pav.
Vada Pav is staple in the state of Maharashtra, especially Mumbai because it is economical to the pocket and could be easily found at every corner, just in the range of 500-800 metres, a Vada Pav stall could be easily spotted in Mumbai. This is a perfect snack during monsoon to bite on.
A story revolves around the invention of Mumbai’s famous Vada Pav and the spicy chutney which may or maynot be true. It is said that Ashok Vaidya, used to set up a stall of snacks and vadas outside of Dadar Station, which was also the heart of the city during that time. He used to sell Vada, poha and omelette pav to the textile workers around. He then one day came with an idea of serving the vada placing it between two buns along with a red garlic chutney to add spiciness and flavours to the bland pav making it a good appetiser. This way both the chutney and the concept of vada pav originated.
Here’s the recipe for Mumbai Vada Pav Dry Chutney.
Ingredients:
• 10-12 red chillies
• ⅓ cups of dry grated coconut
• ⅓ garlic cloves
• Sea salt, as per taste
Method:
• Roast the red chillies in a pan till the chillies get crispy.
• Now roast the grated coconut till it turns slightly brown.
• Put the roasted chillies and salt inside a grinding jar and grind both of them together.
• Now, grind the roasted coconut and take it out in a bowl.
• Grind the garlic without adding any water.
• Now, mix all the three grinded ingredients together.
• The chutney is ready and could be stored for 10-15 days.