Pav Bhaji

 

Pav Bhaji is a popular and delicious street food dish in India, especially in the state of Maharashtra. It consists of a flavorful and spicy vegetable curry (bhaji) served with soft bread rolls (pav).

Mumbai's signature dish, pav bhaji, is also incredibly well-liked as street food throughout India. It originated in Mumbai as a quick lunch choice for employees of textile mills.

 Eventually, as time passed, the meal gained popularity. These days, Mumbai and the rest of India have eateries serving it as a speciality and as a typical street dish.

About my recipe

I'm excited to share my take on the classic Pav Bhaji! This recipe holds a special place in my heart, as it brings together the vibrant flavors of Mumbai street food and my own culinary twist.

Why I Love This Recipe: Pav Bhaji is more than just a meal; it's a celebration of flavors and textures. What sets my recipe apart is my home made pav bhaji masala. It's a dish that brings people together, sparking joy with every scoop of bhaji and every bite of warm, buttery pav.

INGREDIENTS

v 8 Pav
v 4 medium Potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
v 1 medium green capsicum, chopped
v ¼ cup green peas, boiled and mashed lightly
v ¼ cauliflower grated
v 3 tablespoon oil
v 2 medium onions, finely chopped
v 2 teaspoons Ginger paste
v 2 teaspoons Garlic paste
v 1 ½ tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala
v Salt to taste
v 3 tablespoon butter
v 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
v 2 lemons, cut into wedges

INGREDIENTS FOR PAV BHAJI MASALA

v ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
v 12 kashmiri dried red chillies
v 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
v 2 ½ tablespoon coriander seeds
v 6 one inch cinnamon sticks
v 1 teaspoon salt
v ¼ teaspoons black salt
v 25 cloves
v 1 black cardamom
v 6-8 curry Leaves
v 2 bay leaves 

v 1 tablespoons fennel seeds 

v 1 ½ tablespoon dried mango powder 

METHOD FOR PAV BHAJI MASALA

We need to dry roast above ingredients on low heat for 5 minutes then add 1 ½ tablespoons dried mango powder, mix well and set aside to cool completely. Grind to a fine powder and store in an air-tight container.

METHOD FOR PAV BHAJI

·        Heat the oil in a non-stick pan; add three fourth of the onions and saute till light brown. Add the green chillies, ginger paste, and garlic paste stir fry for half a minute.

·        Add half the tomatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for three to four minutes, or till the oil seperates.

·        Add the capsicum, peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and a half cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for ten minutes, mashing the vegetables with the masher a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.

·        Add the pav bhaji masala, salt and the remaining tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously

·        Heat half the butter in a non-stick tawa. Cut the pav horizontally into two and shallow-fry in butter, pressing down two or three times, for half a minute, or till pav is crisp and light brown.

·        Garnish the bhaji with the chopped fresh coriander and remaining butter, and serve hot with remaining onion and lemon wedges.