Vada pav or spicy potato sliders are an iconic street food found all over India. Traditionally, this is a very indulgent snack as it has bold spices and is deep fried. With our hack, we’ve made this popular favorite into a non-fried, quick and easy dish without sacrificing any of the flavor. Serve up these sliders and no one will ever guess they’re not deep fried!
Vada Pav in the Instant Pot (Spicy Potato Sliders)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Vada pav or spicy potato sliders are an iconic street food found all over India. Traditionally, this is a very indulgent snack as it has bold spices and is deep fried. With our hack, we’ve made this popular favorite into a non-fried, quick and easy dish without sacrificing any of the flavor. Serve up these sliders and no one will ever guess they’re not deep fried!
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- Instant pot
- Trivet which comes with the Instant Pot
- Paniyaram pan
- 2 bowls
- Potato masher
- 2 tablespoons oil (1 for tempering + 1 for batter) + extra to cook potato vada
- 4 large potatoes-peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
- ½ large onion thinly sliced into rings
- Amli/imli chutney (tamarind chutney)- use our recipe to make your own
- Cilantro/Mint chutney-use your favorite brand
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced green chilies
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 8-10 curry leaves dried or fresh
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (½ tsp for batter + ½ tsp for potato mix)
- 1 teaspoon salt (for potato mix) + ½ teaspoon salt (for batter)
- ½ teaspoon rye (mustard seeds)
- Slider buns-use your favorite brand
- ½ cup water + extra for batter
Instructions
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot
- Pour ½ cup water in the pot
- Place the potatoes on top of the trivet
- Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot
- Press MANUAL (6 qt pot) or PRESSURE COOK ( 3qt pot) on the Instant Pot (high pressure)
- Set timer to 8 minutes
- Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 mins
- After 5 mins, turn the vent on top of the lid to venting to release the rest of the steam
- Carefully remove the potatoes into a large mixing bowl
- In a small pan, heat oil and add curry leaves and rye (mustard seeds) and allow to pop
- Using a potato masher, completely mash the potatoes
- Add the curry leaves mixture to the potatoes
- Add in the green chilies, garlic, ginger
- Add in the sugar, salt, turmeric, citric acid, cilantro
- Using a spoon or your hands, mix well to incorporate all ingredients
- Taste to see if you need to adjust spices
- Set aside the potato mixture
- In another bowl, add the besan (chickpea flour)
- Add turmeric and salt and baking soda
- Add a small amount of water to get a thick batter
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil
- Whisk batter to make sure there are no lumps- set aside
- Make 1 inch balls out of the potato mixture and set aside
- Heat the paniyaram pan on the stove on medium heat
- Add a drop of oil into each slot on the pan
- Drop the potato ball into the batter and place it into the pan
- Allow to cook for 3 minutes
- Flip each vada and allow to cook for 3 more minutes
- Carefully remove the vada onto a plate
- To assemble, split open the slider buns
- On one half of the bun, spread cilantro chutney
- On the 2nd half of the bun, spread the amli/tamarind chutney
- Add a few slices of onions on top of the bottom bun
- Add a potato vada on top of the onions
- Add extra chutney if desired
- Place the top bun on top of the vada
- Serve and Enjoy!!
Notes
Serving suggestion
You may toast the vada pav on a hot pan or griddle with butter after assembling if you want the bread to be toasty
You can add fresh sliced green chilies in the vada pav for an extra spicy kick
Amli/Tamarind chutney recipe
Variations
Vegan Variation: This recipe is completely vegan.
No Onion/ No Garlic: Omit the onions and garlic and follow along with the original recipe.
You may toast the vada pav on a hot pan or griddle with butter after assembling if you want the bread to be toasty
You can add fresh sliced green chilies in the vada pav for an extra spicy kick
Amli/Tamarind chutney recipe
Variations
Vegan Variation: This recipe is completely vegan.
No Onion/ No Garlic: Omit the onions and garlic and follow along with the original recipe.