Pav Bhaji...

Today, I’m blogging about Mumbai’s famous street food – Pav Bhaji. A hurried meal for the man in the street.  It is easy to cook and also filling. It is a Maharashtrian fast food dish that originated in Mumbai cuisine. Pav = Soft Bun and Bhaji =  a spicy preparation with a mixture of vegetables, either whole or mashed, a generous dose of fresh tomatoes, and a dollop of butter, consumed with warm bun/bread gently or crispy fried in butter – an all-time, anytime favourite with Indians.

I was craving for Pav Bhaji last weekend……So went to a near by Chat shop, just to eat this chat and unfortunately that day the  Pav buns were out of stock, so came back home disappointed. The next day I got pav buns and yummy homemade pav bhaji is ready in minutes  at home for dinner :) 

Recipe :

Ingredients

Potatoes, boiled and mashed             2 medium

Tomatoes, chopped                            2 medium

Onions, chopped                                 2 medium

Green capsicum, chopped                 1 medium

Cauliflower, grated                              ¼ small

Green peas, shelled                            ¼ cup

Ginger, chopped                                 1 inch piece

Oil                                                        3 tbsp

Green Chillies, chopped                     3-4

Pav bhaji masala                                1 ½ tbsp

Salt                                                      1 ½ tbsp

Butter                                                  3 tbsp

Pav                                                      8

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped       ¼ cup

Lemon, cut into wedges                      2

Method

Boil green peas in salted water till soft, drain, mash lightly and set aside. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of onions. Sauté till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute. Add half the quantity of tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala. Add capsicum, mashed peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed. Add Pavbhaji Masala, salt and remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Heat half of the butter in a thick-bottomed pan or a tawa. Slice pav horizontally into two and pan fry in butter for half a minute, pressing two or three times or till pav is crisp and light brown. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander leaves, remaining butter and serve hot with pav accompanied with remaining chopped onion and lemon wedges.

My Notes:

• You can also add veggies like beans, carrots ect.

• If you dont get pav buns, go ahead with normal milk buns or butter buns.

• Chopped tomatoes can be added too. Dont skip chopped raw onions and coriander leaves while serving.

• The bhaji goes well with toasted bread too.

• Dont skip butter as its the main ingredients which makes this chat tastier.

Recipe adapted from Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/bombay-pavbhaji.aspx#sthash.XZCIG5Do.dpuf

Once ur veggies are boiled and kept ready pav bhaji can be done in a flash. Whenever its chat outside I go blindly with pav bhaji they are my fav anytime and in my case the craving never ends for chat atleast when it comes to pav bhaji.