Pav- bhaji
Pav- bhaji or pao- bhajee is a popular Indian street food which originated from Mumbai but is now eaten all over India and also outside India. Pav means bread and bhaji is a term used for vegetable and curry dish. You can add other veggies like turnip, carrots to bhaji to make it healthier. Although lots of butter is added to bhajee, I have reduced it in my recipe keeping in mind, the calories. You can add more butter if you like it richer. The pau bhaji masala used in this recipe is a special blend of spices. You can get it from any Indian grocery store.
Recipe of pav bhaji
3 medium potatoes
½ small cauliflower
1 medium capsicum
¼ cup shelled green peas
2 medium onions- minced
4 medium tomatoes- pureed
3 green chillies- crushed
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp oil + 1 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
2 tsp Pav bhaji masala
1 tbsp tomato sauce
Butter to toast the pav
8 pav buns
Chopped onion and coriander leaves to garnish
2 lemons- cut into wedges
1. Put roughly chopped potato pieces in a food processor to get very small pieces. Do the same with cauliflower. Deseed and chop capsicum finely.
2. Place potato, cauliflower, capsicum and green peas in a pressure cooker with ½ cup water and salt. Let 1 whistle come, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Open the cooker when pressure drops and mash the boiled veggies with the potato masher.
3. Heat oil and butter in a non- stick pan and add minced onion and green chillies. Sauté till light golden.
4. Add ginger- garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add Pao- bhajee masala and cook on medium heat for 1 minute.
5. Add tomato puree and tomato sauce. Cook on medium heat for few minutes stirring constantly.
6. Now add mashed vegetables and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes stirring in between. Turn off heat and garnish with chopped onion and coriander leaves.
7. Slice each pav bun horizontally into 2 and toast in butter and a little pav bhaji masala. Toast on both sides on a griddle (tava) till crisp and golden.
8. Serve pav with bhaji and lemon wedges. Serve hot.
This is a popular Maharashtrian dish which you can make as Sunday breakfast or brunch. I am sure your kids will love it.
