PAV BHAJI

Pav Bhaji….the mere mention of it tranfers people to the streets of Mumbai. Almost all roadside vendors serve it there, and probably the best bhaji you will ever find, will be served by one of such vendors. Pav is an Indian bread– exactly like the hot dog buns we get here in the US, and bhaji, well, it’s a mashed potato based curry.

V loves bhaji. I think, had I even gone wrong with this recipe, he would have still loved it. To prepare bhaji is pretty easy, the only time consuming part is the chopping. I always say that cooking is a very easy and quick  job- only n only if

1. There’s somebody to do the cutting and chopping for you, and

2. There’s somebody to wash the utensils after you.

Besides, the above two, there is actually nothing much to cooking. And, in India you have somebody to do both for you. Unfortunately, I am not in India, but, fortunately, I have a dishwasher for the second. ( I lovingly call my dishwasher Jaywanti :)). So its not all that bad.

It’s generally a spicy dish. The bread does help in offsetting the hot taste of the bhaji. But you can lower on the spices in case you like something milder. The ingredients are a close approximation because I do tend to increase some of the spices as to my taste. Feel free to do the same!

Also, I now have a homemade pav recipe on the blog. Do check that out today.

P.S: I got my new charger! I am back to working on my lappy!! Its like coming home!:)

PAV BHAJI

 

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Spiced up potatoes and vegetables, simmered in butter and some spices, served with pav buns makes this favorite road side food, Pav Bhaji.

Author: The Novice Housewife

Recipe type: dinner, snack

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For Pav

• Hot dog buns/ pav (as many as you would like)
• Butter (as much as your diet allows!)
• Pav Bhaji masala (optional)

For the bhaji

• 1½ cups potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped (you can also add 1 cup cabbage as well)
• ½ cup green peas
• ½ cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• ½ cup capsicum, finely chopped
• 2½ cups tomatoes, pureed
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder (I generally add more)
• 3 tbsp pav bhaji
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp black salt
• salt, to taste
• 1 tsp amchoor powder/dry mango powder )
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 4 tbsp butter (sigh! all good things have butter)

For the chilli-garlic paste

• (soak chillies in warm water and puree with rest of the ingredients listed below)
• 3-4 dried chillies
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1 green chilli

To serve:

• Lemon wedges
• toasted buns
• finely chopped onions
• butter
• fresh coriander/cilantro chopped

Instructions

1. Boil cauliflower, peas, carrots till soft. Drain out excess water. Add juice of 1 lemon and keep aside.
2. Heat butter in large pan, add onions and capsicum. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add chilli-ginger-garlic paste & saute till onions soften.
4. Add pureed tomatoes and simmer till oil separates.
5. Add turmeric pdr, chilli pdr, coriander powder, pav bhaji masala, black salt and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add boiled veggies and potatoes. Mash thoroughly using a potato masher, adding ½ cup water, if required.
7. Add juice of 1 lemon. Mix in the amchoor and the roasted cumin powder and cook covered for a few minutes. Add water to loosen the bhaji, and adjust seasoning and pav bhaji masala to your liking. Top with butter and serve.
8. Slice hot dog bun into two. Apply butter to both sides of the bun. You can add a little of the pav bhaji masala too. Put on heated skillet. Cook till lightly browned.
9. Top the bhaji with onions, cilantro and lemon wedges.

Note:

1. You can also boil all the veggies (except onions and capsicum)and then grind them together before adding it to the onion tomato mixture.

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And if you were wondering how great my photography skills were when I started blogging, here’s the photo that originally was put with this post. 🙂

Update June 2017: the most recent photo of the pav bhaji. The blog now has a homemade pav buns recipe too. Click on picture for link.