Pav Bhaji is quintessential Mumbai street food. Pav is Bread and Bhaji is the literal translation of ‘vegetable’. Who would have thought that a mix of vegetables cooked together and scooped up and eaten with a piece of fried bread could be so delicious?
Ingredients for the Bhaji:
Potatoes: 3, large. Washed, peeled, and cut into 2.
Cauliflower: ½ of a medium-sized one. Washed and cut into flowerets.
Onions: 1 large or 2 small, very finely chopped
Green Capsicum: 1 large or 2 small, very finely chopped
Tomato:1 medium-sized, very finely chopped
Oil: 5-6 Tsps
Butter: 2 Tsps
Garlic: 7-8 medium-sized flakes, peeled and chopped
Dry Red Chillies: 4-5, chopped
Haldi / Turmeric : 1 Tsp
Salt: To taste
Pav Bhaji Masala: to taste ( I use Badshah and/or Catch Pav Bhaji Masala)
Lemon Juice: Juice of half a lemon, or to taste.
For the Garnish: Finely chopped Onions, chopped Coriander and a sliver of lemon and a dollop of Amul Butter
Method for the Bhaji:
In a pressure cooker add the chopped potatoes and cauliflower. Add enough water to cover them.
Add the Haldi powder and Salt to taste and pressure cook giving 2-3 whistles.
When done, drain the water and keep it aside. Do not throw it.
Mash the boiled Potato and Cauliflower and keep aside.
Grind the Garlic and Dry Red Chillies together, adding a tsp of water to it. It should be a rough paste. Keep aside.
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add the Oil and Butter to it.
Add the finely chopped Onion and fry till it starts changing color.
To this add the finely chopped Tomato and the Garlic-Red Chilly Paste.
Saute till the tomatoes turn soft and the Garlic is no longer raw.
Add the chopped capsicum and saute for a bit.
Add salt to taste and a little of the Pav Bhaji Masala to this mixture.
Fry until oil starts leaving the masala.
Now add the mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower, the drained water, and mix well.
Let the Bhaji simmer on a low flame till it starts boiling.
Adding some more Pav Bhaji Masala at this stage.
When done, switch off the flame and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and mix well.
Garnish with finely chopped onions and coriander leaves and a dollop of butter. Serve hot, with Pav.
To toast Pav: Heat a Tava, apply butter to it. Cut a Pav into 2 from the center. Toast on either side till it darkens. Serve hot.
- Potatoes: 3, large. Washed, peeled and cut into 2.
- Cauliflower: ½ of a medium sized one. Washed and cut into flowerets.
- Onions: 1 large or 2 small, very finely chopped
- Green Capsicum: 1 large or 2 small, very finely chopped
- Tomato:1 medium sized, very finely chopped
- Oil: 5-6 Tsps
- Butter: 2 Tsps
- Garlic: 7-8 medium sized flakes, peeled and chopped
- Dry Red Chillies: 4-5, chopped
- Haldi / Turmeric : 1 Tsp
- Salt : To taste
- Pav Bhaji Masala : to taste ( I use Badshah and/or Catch Pav Bhaji Masala)
- Lemon Juice: Juice of half a Lemon, or to taste.
- For the Garnish: Finely chopped Onions, chopped Coriander and a sliver of Lemon and a dollop of Amul Butter
- In a pressure cooker add the chopped potatoes and cauliflower. Add enough water to cover them.
- Add the Haldi powder and Salt to taste and pressure cook giving 2-3 whistles.
- When done, drain the water and keep aside. Do not throw it.
- Mash the boiled Potato and Cauliflower and keep aside.
- Grind the Garlic and Dry Red Chillies together, adding a tsp of water to it. It should be a rough paste. Keep aside.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add the Oil and Butter to it.
- Add the finely chopped Onion and fry till it starts changing color.
- To this add the finely chopped Tomato and the Garlic-Red Chilly Paste.
- Saute till the Tomatoes turn soft and the Garlic is no longer raw.
- Add the chopped Capsicum and saute for a bit.
- Add Salt to taste and a little of the the Pav Bhaji Masala to this mixture.
- Fry until oil starts leaving the masala.
- Now add the mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower, the drained water and mix well.
- Let the Bhaji simmer on a low flame till it starts boiling.
- Adding some more Pav Bhaji Masala at this stage.
- When done, switch off the flame and squeeze in the juice of half a Lemon and mix well.
- Garnish with finely chopped onions and coriander leaves and a dollop of butter. Serve hot, with Pav.
- To toast Pav: Heat a Tava, apply butter to it. Cut a Pav into 2 from the center. Toast on either side till it darkens. Serve hot.
