Vada Pav VS Burger: Who wins the battle of best snack in India? Find out

Vada Pav and Burger both quite prominently eaten in India and are best suitable for those who are in a hurry and want a quick bite.  If you are in India, you have to have try Vada Pav which is also known as Bombay burger or Indian burger. This spicy and piping hot dish is easily available in almost all streets of Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra too. While Vada Pav may resemble a burger, the taste and preparation of it are very different from the latter. This dish which is an Indian street food has potato-based patty and a bun. This patty is a blend of mashed potatoes, spices, chilies, and chopped onions. They are dipped in a chickpea flour batter before deep frying. You will usually get accompaniments such as garlic chutney and mint and coriander chutney.

This fried savory snack is essentially a street food and as I said in Mumbai, you will find scores of vendors selling it. However, big firms such as Jumbo King have westernized the Vada Pav a little bit and have a pretty big business now. So, people who are hygiene conscious and would like to prefer a store one then there are several shops like Jumbo King who sell this dish. The textures, spicy flavors, and the overall taste are what make it popular and it has been holding a special place in the hearts of Indians. There is a lot of history and culture surrounding this Indian snack.

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On the other hand, Burgers consist of one or more cooked patties of ground meat (or potato/ paneer if it is a vegetarian burger). It is very delicious and loved by many. It has been a staple foodstuff in most Western countries, especially in the USA, however several Indians love to devour burgers too. There is a section of people who think that Bombay Burger is unhealthy and prepared in unhygienic places as it is a street food ultimately. However, that has hardly deterred several people's mindset and many (including me) still vouch for street-side ones for the taste. With chains and variations coming up, there is hardly any stopping to its popularity. And it is great, as we are preserving culture with food.

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With the introduction of global food chains such as Burger King, Mc Donalds among others, there has been a rise and rise of burgers (which they have Indianised as per taste) as well. The brand values of these joints are quite high. Also, hygiene is more, so these factors have been a plus point for them. Also, burgers with Indian twists are available on local eateries and khau gallis as well. So, now it is local and not really international any more in many parts of India. On the other hand, even many joints have given Vada Pav a westernized spin.

Vada Pav VS Burger: Their Indian history

To know why it is street food we have to understand its origin. As we know necessity is the mother of invention, this street food too was created for textile mill workers who had less money to spend and needed a quick meal to satisfy. It has been a long time since then, but the meal now. As per reports, it was invented by Ashok Vaidya back in 1966. He opened the stall at the Dadar train station because mill workers used to pass from the station to get home. 

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Coming to Burgers and their history in India, if you think international burger chain McDonald's brought them in India then you are wrong. Many big cities had them before McDonald's appearance. However, they were a few joints and eateries serving them. 

Vada Pav VS Burger: So, who wins the battle

I am a true blue Mumbaikar and my vote goes to Vada Pav as it is not only a quintessential Mumbai dish but also they are quite handy, filling, easily available and cheaper than a burger. But some days I crave for burgers too, so for me, there is a room for both. Speaking of the health factor, this traditional Indian street food again gets some more points, as, unlike burgers which are usually made from processed foods and emulsifying agents they are usually prepared from fresh ingredients.

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What is your pick?  Let us know in the comment section below and also mention why you love to gorge any of them.