Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a famous street side food originated in Maharashtra and is popular in most fast food chains all over the world. Nobody can resist the buttered pavs and the spicy mixed vegetable bhaji. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

For the Bhaaji:
Potatoes - 2
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1
Green bell pepper - 1
Cauliflower - few florets about 1 cup
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Turmeric - 1/8 tsp
Chilli powder - 2tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Pav bhaji masala - 1 1/2 tbsp (I use Everest Pav bhaji masala)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp

For The Pav:
Pav - 8
Butter- 2 tbsp

For each individual Serving:
Finely chopped onions - 2 tbsp
Lemon wedges - 1
Butter - 2 tsp

For Garnishing:
Chopped coriander - 4 tbsp

Method:
Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and peas with a little water and salt in a pressure cooker. Cook it for 2 whistles. Keep it aside. In a large pan, add the oil and the butter. Add the cumin seeds, let them crackle. Then add the crushed garlic, fry for 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic burn. Then add the finely chopped onions. Fry till the onions are translucent and you notice oil oozing out. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Fry well till you see oil separating. Then add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and the pav bhaji masala. Fry the spices well. Add salt. Mix well. Now add the finely chopped bell pepper. Fry till the oil separates and the peppers are mushy.
Drain the water from the boiled vegetables. Peel the potatoes. And mash up all the boiled vegetables together. Now add these mashed vegetables to the onion, tomato mixture in the pan. Mix well. Add water if required. The consistency will be on the thicker side at this stage. Add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Turn the flame off. Keep it aside.

For the pav:
Slit 2 pavs vertically and keep aside. Heat a griddle, add 2 tsp of butter. Slit open the pavs and place on it. Cook on a medium flame till they turn light brown and crisp on both the sides. (add more butter if required).

Just before serving, heat up a small pan, add some butter to it. Add some bhaji to the pan that is just enough for one person. Fry well till the butter is separated. Put it in a plate, drizzle some lemon juice. Top it with a small cube of butter. The butter slowly melts into the bhaji. Sprinkle some chopped onions and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with the buttered pavs and a lemon wedge.

Pav Bhaji

Tasty tip:
The left over bhaji goes excellent with hot pooris.