What is inside
What is inside Vada Pav?
Vada Pav is a spiced potato fritter tucked into a soft bread bun with chutneys. Here is what is inside it, layer by layer, and why each one is there.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 3 min read
Layers
5 in all
Key ingredient
Spiced potato
Heat
Medium
Served
Hot, in a bun
The 5 layers of Vada Pav
Vada Pav is built from 5 parts. They are listed in the order you meet them, and the numbers match the diagram.
The pav bun
A soft, slightly sweet bread roll, split and often toasted on a griddle with a little butter. It is the soft cushion around everything else.
Green chutney
Fresh coriander, green chilli and lemon blended into a bright, sharp spread that goes on the inside of the bun.
The batata vada
Mashed potato seasoned with ginger, garlic, green chilli, mustard seeds and curry leaves, rolled into a ball, dipped in gram flour batter and deep-fried until golden.
Dry garlic chutney
A coarse red powder of garlic, dried chilli and dry coconut, pressed into the bun. It is the signature kick of a Mumbai vada pav.
Fried green chilli
A salted, fried chilli served on the side for anyone who wants more heat.
01
What it is made of
Every vada pav has the same three parts: a potato filling, a gram flour coating and a soft bun. Everything else is seasoning that decides how sharp, garlicky or sweet it tastes.
- Potato
- Gram flour (besan) batter
- Pav bun
- Green chilli, ginger and garlic
- Mustard seeds and curry leaves
- Coriander chutney
- Dry garlic chutney
02
How the layers work together
The bun is soft, the fritter is crisp outside and fluffy inside, and the chutneys supply the sharpness. The potato is mild on its own, which is exactly why it can carry so much garlic and chilli. Take any layer away and the balance goes: without the bun it is a snack, without the chutney it is bland, without the crisp coating it is mashed potato.
03
Where it comes from
Vada pav is closely tied to Mumbai, where it is commonly credited to a vendor near Dadar station in the 1960s who wanted a cheap, filling snack for workers. The exact story varies, but it became the city’s everyday street food and is still sold on nearly every corner.
04
Variations and other names
The basic idea has spread, and so have the names and twists:
- Peri-peri vada pav: finished with a tangy, fiery seasoning.
- Cheese vada pav: a slice of melted cheese added to the bun.
- Dry vada pav: the vada pressed flat with only the garlic chutney.
- Vada pav burger: the same fritter in a burger bun, popular in cafes.
05
How to eat it
Hold it with both hands and eat it hot, while the vada is still crisp. Take a bite with a little of the green chutney and garlic chutney together, then add the fried chilli between bites if you like heat. A small, strong cup of chai is the classic partner.
06
Vada Pav at Tapri Chai
Vada Pav is $5.49 CAD on our menu. We make it in a 100% vegetarian kitchen at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays.
Questions, answered.
What is Vada Pav made of?
Vada Pav is made of potato, gram flour (besan) batter, pav bun, green chilli, ginger and garlic, mustard seeds and curry leaves, coriander chutney and dry garlic chutney.
How many layers does Vada Pav have?
Traditionally 5: the pav bun, green chutney, the batata vada, dry garlic chutney and fried green chilli.
Is Vada Pav vegetarian?
Yes. The traditional recipe is vegetarian, and every dish at Tapri Chai is vegetarian.
Is Vada Pav spicy?
It has a medium heat from green chilli and garlic. The fried chilli on the side is optional, so you can control how spicy it gets.
Where can I try Vada Pav in Ottawa?
At Tapri Chai, 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa. Vada Pav is $5.49 CAD on our menu.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.