"Wait at least 30 days before trying vada pav, " one of my hosts, a native Mumbaikar, had warned.

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Every few minutes, a fresh batch of vada would emerge, and I would scrum with the other customers for my share.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch

Hawkers barge into the coaches, yelling "kaafi, " which is how they pronounce "coffee, " and "vada, " a type of doughnut made from ground lentils.

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The exact details are unclear, but people who care about such things credit Mumbai street vendor Ashok Vaidya with inventing vada pav in the early 1970s.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch

Just as its Western cousin, the hamburger, remains incomplete without a squirt of ketchup or a dollop of relish, a vada pav lies naked without red or green chutney, or both.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch

Vada pav are easy to make at home.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch

According to my gastric guardian, I had nothing to fear from the vada (pronounced "wahda") a mixture of chunky mashed potatoes, curry leaves, cilantro, mustard seeds and other spices, dipped in a turmeric- and chili-powder-laced chickpea flour batter, then deep fried.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch

The nutty, vaguely familiar taste of mustard seed and the earthy smell of curry leaves waft from the fritter, but vada pav approaches perfection because it mingles potent flavors with so many comforting textures: squooshy bread, creamy and slightly lumpy mashed potato and a hint of crunch from the batter.

WSJ: Indian Snacks That Pack a Punch