The Indian street-food sandwich made with a spiced potato fritter in a pav roll is called vada pav.
Vada pav originated in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and is often described as an Indian-style burger. Its central filling is batata vada, a deep-fried potato dumpling coated in gram-flour batter. The vada is placed inside a soft pav bread roll and commonly accompanied by chutneys and fried green chile.
The snack became especially popular as an inexpensive, filling food for Mumbai’s commuters and industrial workers. Ashok Vaidya is widely credited with popularizing it near Dadar railway station in the 1960s.
Vada pav is sometimes confused with dabeli, another western Indian bread snack. Dabeli generally contains a spiced potato mixture with contrasting sweet, tangy, and nutty toppings, while vada pav is defined by its fried potato fritter.