Pav bhaji is one of the favourite street foods in India and an iconic dish from Mumbai. It is a spicy colourful curry of mixed vegetables, cooked in a special blend of spices and served with soft buttered pav(bread bun). Bhaji means vegetable curry. The boiled and mashed vegetables give it a smooth texture and have a mouthwatering aroma and taste. In this recipe I have not used potato which is otherwise a common ingredient for the bhaji, instead I have used pumpkin.
Ingredients
For cooking vegetables
1. Oil – 2 Tbsp
2. Cumin seeds(jeera) – 1 tsp
3. Pav bhaji masala – 1 Tbsp
4. Tomato diced – 4 big
5. Pumpkin diced – ½ kg
6. Carrots diced – 2
7. Beetroot diced – 1
8. Green peas – 1 cup
9. Salt
.
For bhaji masala
1. Oil – 1 Tbsp
2. Butter – 2 Tbsp
3. Onion chopped finely – 2 big
4. Capsicum chopped finely – 1
5. Salt
6. Pav bhaji masala – 2 Tbsp
7. Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tsp
8. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tsp
9. Green chilli – 2 chopped
10. Coriander leaves – ½ cup
11. Ginger garlic paste – 1 Tbsp
12. Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp
For toasting Pav
1. Butter – 2 Tbsp
2. Coriander leaves
Instructions for cooking vegetables
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and crackle jeera. Reduce to medium flame and add pav bhaji masala. Saute and add tomatoes and the rest of the vegetables. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 3 whistles.
Instructions for preparing Bhaji
1. Heat oil in a pan and add butter. Add capsicum, onion and sauté for 2-3 minute on high flame stirring continuously till it changes colour slightly.
2. Add salt, pav bhaji masala, chilli powder, kasuri methi, green chilli, coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste. Mix and sauté well. Add lemon juice and one cup of water. Boil on medium flame.
3. Add cooked vegetables. Mix well and boil for 4-5 minutes.
4. Mash the vegetables well. Add more water to adjust the consistency.
5. Boil and remove from stove.
Instructions for toasting pav
1. Heat a tawa and add butter, coriander leaves and one tbsp of the cooked bhaji. Mix well.
2. Toast the split pav on both sides.
3. Serve with bhaji, garnished with coriander leaves, finely chopped onions, a dollop of butter and a piece of lemon.
Tips
1. Other vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower etc can also be used as per your preference.
2. Pav bhaji should be served hot ideally.
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