Baked Vada Pav

Ingredients 

• 4 medium potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
• 1 tablespoon fresh yeast
• 1½ teaspoons castor sugar
• 1½ cups refined flour + for dusting
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons milk + to brush
• 2 teaspoons melted butter + to brush
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Vada pav chutney as required

Method

1. Take yeast in a bowl, add castor sugar and 2 tablespoons warm water, mix well and keep aside for 5-7 minutes to activate.
2. To make the dough, take refined flour in a large bowl. Add the activated yeast and salt and mix well. Add milk and mix well. Add sufficient water and knead to a soft dough.
3. Keep the dough on the worktop and knead, stretching the dough lightly. Add melted butter and knead again. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and keep aside to prove for 20-25 minutes.
4. To make the vada mixture, heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add asafoetida, curry leaves, and green chilli-ginger paste, mix and saute for 1 minute. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
5. Add potatoes and mix. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves and mix well. Divide the mixture into equal portions.
6. Knock back the dough. Dust the worktop with some flour, place the dough on it and divide the dough into equal portions and shape them into balls.
7. Spread each ball in your palm, sprinkle some vada pav chutney and place a portion of the potato mixture over it. Gather the edges of the dough and press to seal. Shape them into smooth balls.
8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease an aluminium tin.
9. Place the stuffed vada pavs in the greased aluminium tin, cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to prove for 15 minutes.
10. Brush the proved vada pavs with some milk, place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, brush with the melted butter, remove from the tin, arrange them on a serving platter and serve hot.