Balaji Vada Pav

We start pretty early every morning here in Amber Colony. The first thing is getting the big bags of potatoes boiled and the chickpea batter ready for the day. It’s a small space in Kanjurmarg East, so things get a bit tight when the breakfast rush starts and everyone is looking for something hot to eat. We’ve been frying vada pavs here for years now and the oil is always hot and ready. There isn't really a seating area to speak of, just people standing around the stall on the pavement eating quickly before they catch their train or head into the office. We keep the green chutney quite spicy because that’s how most people around here seem to like it. If you want it less spicy or with more of the sweet tamarind sauce, you have to tell us before we wrap it up in the paper. Sometimes we run out of fresh bread by the afternoon if it's been a particularly busy day, so we have to wait for the local bakery boy to bring more on his cycle. It's just simple food for people who are hungry and in a hurry. My brother helps me with the frying while I handle the packing and the change for the customers. It's hot work standing by the stove all day, especially when the summer hits in May. We don't have a big menu, just the basics that we've learned to make well over time. Most of our customers are regulars who work in the nearby industrial estate.