Pav bhaji belongs to Maharashtra cuisine that covers a range of dishes that go from being too mild to very zesty. It is one of the most cherished dishes that you can find at outlets from formal food restaurants to simple hand carts throughout the city.
Although the recipe of pav bhaji originated in Mumbai for the workers of textile mills who were served pav bhaji as a nutritious and filling meal. However nowadays, pav bhaji has become so famous that you will find restaurants and local snack counters serving it in almost every city of the country. The dish is a widely liked Indian food and you can even call it the king of the fast foods.
The delicious tummy-filling meal comprises of two parts, one is the pav which means bread buns and other part is bhaji that comprises of spiced up veggies which are boiled and mashed. For making bhaji a variety of vegetables are boiled and mashed. Then they are flavoured up with onions, garlic, ginger, spices and herbs. Tomato pure and lots of butter add to the authentic flavour and the key ingredient ‘pav bhaji masala’ takes the dish to the next level of magical taste. When the dish is finally prepared, it is served steamy hot with soft toasted buns and onion salad.
Now you can skip the restaurant-bought bhaji. Instead, check out this easy recipe of making pav bhaji at home.
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
Potato: 4 (large)
Tomato 6: (large)
Cabbage: 250 grams
Carrot: 1
French beans: 6-7
Cauliflower: 250 grams
Capsicum 1: (large)
Peas: 2/3 cup (boiled)
Onion: 2 (medium)
Ginger paste: 2 tsp
Garlic paste: 2 tsp
Green chillies: 2
Pav bhaji masala: 6 tbsp
Degi mirch: 2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 2 tsp
Kasuri methi: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 4 tbsp
Butter: 150 grams
Oil: 3 tbsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:
Pressure cook potatoes until fully boiled. Peel and mash them properly. Chop cauliflower, carrot, beans and cabbage. Pressure cook these vegetables together until soft adding three tablespoons of pav bhaji masala, a little salt and three cups of water. Mash these vegetables properly along with remaining water after pressure comes out. Make a paste of onions and tomatoes separately in a food processor. Keep aside. Boil peas and keep aside. Saute capsicum in little oil for two-three minutes. Keep aside.
Heat three tablespoons of oil in a big pan. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for two minutes on low flame. Add onion paste. Saute on low flame until golden brown. Add tomato puree, degi mirch and kasuri methi. Mix well and cook on low flame until the puree starts leaving the oil on the sides. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and three tablespoons of pav bhaji masala. Mix well and cook for five minutes. Add mashed potatoes and mashed vegetables and give a good stir. Add salt and little water as required to give an appropriate consistency to the bhaji. Mix well. Cover the bhaji and cook it on low flame for45-60 minutes stirring in between after every ten minutes. Turn off flame. Add boiled peas, sautéed capsicum, butter and lemon juice. Mix well. Transfer the ready bhaji to a serving bowl. Garnish with green coriander leaves. Top with little butter. Toast the pavs lightly on a non-stick pan adding butter generously.
Serve hot bhaji with toasted buttery pavs.
Tips:
Pav bhaji masala plays the most crucial role for the taste and flavour of pav bhaji. MDH pav bhaji masala is one of the best brands to give the dish an authentic taste.
The second most important thing that lends an amazing taste to the dish is butter. Use a good quality salted butter. Amul butter gives the best taste. Be generous while putting butter because pav bhaji is all about its buttery taste and texture blended with spicy vegetables.
Check for the good quality of pavs. They should be fresh and soft. The soft buttery pavs are also an important element which complements the bhaji and make it a complete meal.
Make sure to put pav bhaji masala and little salt while boiling the vegetables. It gives the bhaji the fascinating authentic taste.
Do not forget to add degi mirch. It gives a beautiful colour to the bhaji.
Boil peas separately and add to the bhaji after it is completely cooked. It will help to retain the lush green colour of the peas. Otherwise, they will turn pale-green in colour.
Add lightly-sautéed capsicum in the cooked bhaji and give a good stir. It will also help to retain its vibrant green hue.
Serve this dish as a snack or meal. It will turn an average gathering into something really special.