Pav bhaji.. The wholesome roadside meal of the streets of bombay was introduced in my kitchen in 1985 by my grandmother’s sister a bombayite. It was her annual visit to madras and she came all loaded with pavs and the homemade bhaji masala. The day she arrived by bombay mail she insisted on going for vegetable shopping at Ranganathan Street…. Unimaginable feat today… She bought all that was necessary and then started teaching me the pav bhaji preparation. I still remember her saying that Amul butter, capsicum and peas were a must for this delicious dish. Her bhaji was loaded with vegetables… Carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions…. The buttery pav with this wholesome bhaji with sprinkles of fresh homemade masala was an instant hit at home.
This Saturday I decided to make Pav bhaji for our brunch but mine is a simple one pot recipe, more a street style kind. The buttery pavs when dipped in the bhaji absorbs all the exquisite flavours and the medely of textures that you would feel in your mouth is too difficult to explain. Please visit my blog for the recipe and recreate the wonders of street food all at home.
INGREDIENTS
- PEAS FRESH – 1 CUP
- ONIONS – 3 MEDIUM
- TOMATOES – 3 MEDIUM
- BEETROOT – 1 SMALL
- CARROTS – 2 MEDIUM
- CAPSICUM GREEN – 2 MEDIUM
- CORIANDER – 2 TBSPS CHOPPED
- GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TSP
- PAV BHAJI MASALA – 4 TSPS
- CUMIN SEEDS – 1 TSP
- BUTTER – AS REQUIRED
- PAV – AS REQUIRED
- KASOIRI METHI – 1 TSP
- CHILLY POWDER – 2 TSP
- SALT – AS REQUIRED
METHOD
- Take a pressure cooker.. For this quantity I used a 4.5 litre pressure cooker.
- Add a chiplet of butter and the Cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the onions and ginger garlic paste and saute till pink.
- Add finely chopped tomatoes and capsicums and saute further till they are mushy.
- Now add all the spices and needed salt. Fry the masala well along with the onion – tomatoes mixture.
- Add the cubed vegetables, saute for a minute. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
- Once the pressure is released, open the cooker. Mash the vegetables with a masher. Adjust the consistency of the bhaji with water and bring the thick mixture to a boil.
- Heat a pan, add a chiplet of butter and spoon in a small ladle of bhaji into it. As is sizzles toast the pavs. This step will help your crisp pavs absorb the flavours of bhaji.
- Serve hot with bhaji, finely chopped onions and a wedge of lemon.
