Vada pav (Marathi: वडा पाव), sometimes spelled wada pav or vada paav or vada pao or 'wada pao''', is a vegetarian fast food dish native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. A simple creation involving a deep fried potato patty with some coriander and spices. It originated as cheap street food in Mumbai, but is now offered in stalls and restaurants throughout India.Boiled mashed potatoes are spiced, commonly with chillies, garlic, asafoetida, turmeric, mustard seeds and garlic, but the spices may vary. The mass is then coated in gram flour batter and deep fried. The resultant fritter is served in a bread bun, accompanied by one or more chutneys.The founder of Vada Pav was Ashok Vaidya who usually sits outside the Dadar Station and sells vada and poha. One day Ashok Vaidya decided to put the vada between the pav and add some garlic chutney for flavour. The combination was a hit and the vada pav was born. Despite the ethnocentrism in Maharashtra in particular, Vada paav is claimed to be a part of the culture of Marathis despite this sandwich (bread and potato) being western in style.It is now offered at street stalls, cafes and restaurants throughout India.