Share
Nagaland Minister Temjen Imna Along is one Indian official who has become a social media star in his own right. We’re often treated to insights into his life, his witty sense of humour and of course his culinary adventures. A few days ago he was singing the praise of pain puri, and it looks like he's continuing his current street food kick as he recently dropped another one of his forays into food, this time donning the chef’s hat and whipping up a delicious-looking vada pav from scratch.
The video opens with shots of garlic, chillies and onions being chopped. Then we see him mashing potatoes by hand before sauteeing onions and ginger in hot oil before he mixes the masala with the mashed potatoes. He then starts on the besan batter, carefully mixing it with until it reaches the perfect consistency.
After skillfully shaping the mashed potato mixture into balls, he drops them into the batter, mixing them around until they’re fully coated and then straight into the waiting kadhai of hot oil they go. The sizzle satisfyingly until the vadas turn a golden brown and then he fishes them out. Finally, once all the vadas are ready, it’s time to dig in and then in true Mumbaikar style the minister, along with his crew dig into freshly fried vada pav with green chutney
In the caption of the video, he says “Thank you for your patience. Presenting a special dish inspired by T-Man, the journey of Vada Pav from Mumbai to Kohima!” Of course, vada pav is a dish that’s quintessentially Mumbai having been born in 1966 at Ashok Vada Pav outside Dadar Station to feed the throngs of hungry cotton mill workers that passed that way each day. But over time, it’s become a beloved street food across the country, cherished for its simplicity and universal appeal.
The comment section proved this love as everyone chimed in with praise for his skill and for how delicious the final product looked. Others also weighed in on what they wanted to see him cook next with some suggesting another Maharashtrian favourite Misal Pav while others requested more Naga classics. Overall this was yet another successful food adventure with Minister Temjen Imna Along, and it’s sure not to be the last!
