In the times where social media algorithms and trends define what one must consume, there is no way that you wouldn’t have come across the video of a distressed woman from Delhi, claiming to be threatened by the authorities for her roadside cart. Her anguish touched a chord with some and before she knew it, the video went viral. Overnight, Chandrika Gera Dixit turned into a meme and was labelled ‘Delhi Vada-Pav Girl’. Honestly, I am not here to add fuel to the fire, but I do wish to talk about and understand Delhi’s growing love for ‘vada-pav’ - a snack typically associated with Mumbai.
Delhi’s street food is a kaleidoscope of India’s various regions. From chole-bhature and paratha stalls, to the Tibetan momos, which have become the preferred choice of snack amongst the younger generations, to the Laphing, which is making its way out of Majnu ka Tila, and of course, the litti-chokha from Bihar, which became a staple outside corporate offices almost a decade back and tickled many taste-buds that today we see more eateries dedicated to Bihari cuisine, than ever before. The latest entrant to this party of street staples is the humble vada-pav.
Around 15 years back when I shifted to Delhi from Mumbai for my undergraduate studies, I struggled to find vada-pav. I remember a friend mocked my choice of food, terming it as ‘poor man’s food’. In the ostentatious food world of Delhi, vada pav had no place because it was not considered aspirational enough to be consumed. Honestly, I could’ve felt hurt, but I knew better, for my friend wasn’t completely off-track in her assessment of the vada-pav.
In Mumbai, we often joke that the city runs on vada-pav and cutting chai. Termed as a ‘common man’s staple’, it was birthed near Dadar station in the 1960s at Ashok Vaidya’s stall, today known as ‘Ashok Vada-Pav’. It was a quick bite of carbohydrates with vada made of spicy potato mash, stuffed between a ladi-pav that has been lathered with garlic chutney. It became a staple amongst the textile mill workers and commuters in the region. It quickly spread throughout Mumbai, becoming city’s staple food for its working class.
In fact, a known party from the state of Maharashtra politicised the snack as a symbol of regional pride and emphasised that for someone to prove their identity as a true son of the soil, they must eat vada-pav. Funnily, the word ‘pav’ etymologically translates to ‘bread’ in Portuguese and potatoes and chillies were historically imported commodities that were brought into India by them, hence refuting the claim of any culinary history – but that’s only for those who bother to go beyond just a dish and actually explore its origin and history!
Mumbaikars have a special place in their hearts for Ashok Vaidya, because what he invented was a dish for the masses, but it transgressed many social and economical barriers. Who says food isn’t political? Remember the last Delectable Delhi column?
The Mumbai vs Delhi debate is not a new one. Till date I am posed with the question of which city I prefer over the other. But turns out, vada-pav might be here to bridge the gap. Gera Dixit and the many that have followed suit in opening vada-pav stalls in Delhi, can be credited for this shift. One cannot say how long her fame will last, but it has surely led to a surge in the recipe videos for vada-pav across India, and today many, including yours truly, are attempting to make this dish at home. Curiosity fuelled by social media algorithms is now slowly ensuring that vada-pav is entering the kitchens of Delhi-ites. Will vada-pav be the new momo? Only time will tell.
Vernika Awal is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog ‘Delectable Reveries’