Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji: Pav bhaji is an Indian fast food dish that originated in Mumbai cuisine. While Bhaji is a traditional Indian name for a vegetable dish, the Pav or Pau or Pao was the Portuguese word for bread (small rolls). The pav bhaji is a spicy preparation with a mixture of vegetables, either whole or mashed, a generous dose of fresh tomatoes, a dollop of butter, optional toppings of cheese and dry-fruits and fresh fruits, consumed with warm bread gently or crispy fried in butter.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 3 medium sizes potatoes
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen or soaked dried white peas
• 1/2 cup chopped french beans
• 1 large onion
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 medium sized green bell pepper (capsicum)
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies
• 3 tbsp pav bhaji masala
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cups water or add as required
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt, to taste
• 12 pavs for serving with the bhaji

Method:

• Rinse all the vegetables well.
• Boil all the vegetables except onions, tomatoes and capsicum in a pressure cooker.
• Finely chop the onions, green chilies, tomatoes and capsicum.
• Keep aside
• Once the vegetables are cooked, peel the potatoes and roughly and mash the cooked vegetables.
• Melt the butter in a pan, on medium heat.
• Add in the cumin seeds.
• When the cumin seeds sizzle, add in the chopped onions.
• Sauté the onions till they become translucent.
• Add in the ginger-garlic paste.
• Sauté till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic paste disappears.
• Add chopped green chillies.
• Fry for half a minute.
• Add in the tomatoes.
• Fry till the tomatoes become soft and mush, takes about  6 to 7 minutes on low to medium flame.
• Add in the chopped capsicum.
• Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add in the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala add garam masala powder.
• Mix well.
• Fry for a couple of minutes till the capsicum become a little soft.
• Add in the mashed vegetables.
• Mix well.
• Add in the water and season with salt.
• With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan.
• Keep on stirring occasionally and let the bhaji simmer for 12 to 15 minutes on a low flame. If the bhaji becomes dry and then add some more water.
• Garnish the bhaji with coriander leaves.
• Keep warm.
• In a frying pan, melt some butter on medium heat.
• Slice the pav in half and fry them lightly in the butter.
• Keep aside.
• Pav bhaji is ready to be served.
• Serve pav bhaji with chopped onions and sliced lime on the side.

If you have any queries regarding the Pav Bhaji recipe, please leave a comment.