Urban legend has it that a vendor called Ashok Vaidya, who ran a food kiosk outside Dadar station back in the 1960s, was the first to slap a golden-ish, orb-shaped batata vada between a pillowy-soft, half-sliced pav, slathering it with some chutney and throwing in a couple of fried green chillies.

The rest, as they say, is culinary history. From roadside thelas to sit-down restaurants, the ubiquitous snack has made its way into the hearts of Mumbaikars and the rest of the world, so much so that there’s even a day dedicated to honour it. And Delhi-based indie home décor platform Rihaa has paid a tribute to this quintessential Mumbai street food snack by designing vada pav-themed tea towels.