Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a popular Indian street food.  Pav is an Indian bread and Bhaji is made with mashed potatoes and vegetables cooked in an Onion tomato base along with Indian dry spice powders, and enjoyed with pav.

INGREDIENTS :

(1) Cooking oil 

(2) 50 gms of butter for bhaji and more butter for toasting bread or pav on tawa.

(3) 3 medium sized Potatoes (Boiled, peeled and mashed)

(4) 2 medium sized Onions, finely chopped 

(5) 1 large Tomato, finely chopped 

(6) 3 green chillies, minced

(7) 8 cloves / buds of garlic, finely chopped

(8) 1 inch sized ginger, finely chopped

(9) Cauliflower florets , 100 gms (1 cup) 

(10) Green Peas, 75 gms (3/4 cup)

(11) 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric powder / Haldi

(12) 1 teaspoon of Coriander powder / Dhaniya powder

(13) Half teaspoon of Cumin powder / Jeera powder

(14) Half teaspoon of Kashmiri lal mirch powder

(15) 3 teaspoon of Pav Bhaji masala

(16) Coriander leaves, finely chopped

(17) Salt to taste

(18) Water for cooking

(19) Pav / bread

Cuisine : Indian

Preparation time : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Serves : 2-4 persons

As you can see, I have prepared my style of pav bhaji that is quick and simple, however taste same as one found on street stalls or in a restaurant. I have not used all the vegetables that could be used like carrot, capsicum and beet root. You may add them after boiling them if you like.

METHOD :

(1) Boil three medium sized potatoes. After it is cooked, peel it and mash it and keep aside.

(2) Finely chop two medium sized Onions and One large Tomato.

(3) Finely chop 8 cloves of garlic and one inch sized ginger.

(4) Mince three green chillies.

(5) Wash and cut Cauliflower into florets. And take about one bowl of florets for this dish. About 100 gms.

(6) Heat three tablespoons of cooking oil in a kadhai / wok and add half teaspoon of Cumin seeds / Jeera.

(7) Once they splutter and change colour, add chopped ginger and garlic together and sauté for ten seconds till they slightly change colour. 

(8) Then add the finely chopped Onions and minced green chillies and sauté for about four minutes. 

(9) When the onions turn golden brown in colour, add finely chopped Tomatoes and sauté till they turn mushy.

(10) Add florets of Cauliflower and 75 gms of green peas along with 500 ml of water. Add salt to taste.

Cook till the Cauliflower turns mushy. 

(11) When the Cauliflower is cooked, add mashed potatoes too.

(12) Add one fourth teaspoon of Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of Coriander powder, half teaspoon of Cumin powder / Jeera powder and 

3 teaspoon of Rasoi pav bhaji masala (This is the one that I prefer) or any other brand of pav bhaji masala. It is not required to add chilli powder, as we have already added green chillies and

the pav bhaji masala, however, I still added half teaspoon of Kashmiri lal mirch powder (Red chilli powder) for the red colour. You may reduce the green chillies in this case of adding red chilli powder.

Mix well.

(13) Then when the mixture is thick and mushy, add 50 gms of butter to it and mash it well. I did not mash too much and let some granules of vegetables remain in the pav bhaji.

You may mash it as much as you prefer.

(14) Simmer for 3 minutes and sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves.

Then turn off the gas stove.

Preparing Pav

(1) Slice each pav or dinner rolls in two halves.
(2) Heat butter on a pan and place the sliced pav on it. Lightly toast on one side and then turn to toast on the other side.
(3) Pav are ready to be served with bhaji.

Pav Bhaji is ready to be served. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves and chopped onions.

I hope you all will like this dish and try it out!!