I remember the long back time when we, the Delhiites were not much familiar with the Mumbai special Pav Bhaji cause those were not the days of both culinary and IT revolution in India
I first tasted Pav Bhaji when we got shifted to Mumbai (then Bombay) for a few years. We became the total fan of this street food and loved to have it on a particular stall almost every alternative evening. This was like an addiction for us to have bhaji overloaded with butter on top and locally made soft pavs(buns) fried in a pool of butter(who cares about calories over taste😉😀)
We liked it so much that I always used to observe how did the chef who was the owner too of that stall fry all the veggies on the hot tawa until those become tender and released the heavenly aromas being fried in butter (the very authentic recipe of bhaji which was invented for the mill workers. And this was a complete meal for them).
The interesting thing was that my kids hated eating all those veggies (which are used to make bhaji) but fondly ate ‘Bhaji’. I still make it regularly in my kitchen but don’t fry now on tawa as I used to do then. I steam them and roast the mashed veggies in little oil and butter to get its healthier and easier version
Prep time – 10 min
Cook time – 30 min
Course – Main/Breakfast
Type – Street Food (Mumbai)
Author – Bharti Dhawan
Ingredients Required
• White Pumpkin or ash gaurd(petha)- 250 gms (roughly chopped)
• Potatoes (cubed)- 2-3 nos medium sized
• Cauliflower – 4-6 florets (medium sized)
• Yellow carrots (cubed) – 1-2 (yellow carrots do not taste sweet)
• Green capcium – 1/2 cup
• Peas – 1/4 cup
• Finally chopped onions – 1/2 cup
• Finally chopped tomatoes – 1/2 cup
• Tomato puree – 2 tbsp
• Finely chopped ginger and green chillies – 1 tsp each
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp – 25 gms
• Salt, red chilly powder( degi Mirch) and cumin powder – 2 tsp each or to taste
• Pav bhaji masala(store brought- I use Everest Pav Bhaji Masala)) – 1 tbsp
• Some fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• Some small paneer cubes for topping
STEP BY STEP
1– Take a pressure cooker and add all the veggies except onions, tomatoes and capsicum. Add 1 tsp salt +1 tbsp water and close the lid
* Steamed onions and capsicum do not taste good. These will be roasted in oil and butter
2- Keep it on high flame for 5 minutes out until 2 whistles come
3- Let the cooker cool down completely and open the lid. Mash the veggies coarsly with a potato masher and prepare for roasting (bhunow)
4- Take a kadahi or a pan and add oil and butter. Add chopped ginger, green chillies, onion and capsicum. Cook or bhunow them for a while
5- Next, add red chilly powder and stir.
* Red chilly powder or Degi Mirch give the bhaji a vibrant red colour
6- Add chopped tomatoes and cook this masala mashing with the back of the ladle. Add tomato puree for the colour and flavour
7- Add steamed and mashed veggies and cumin powder and give everything a good stir. Mash lightly the veggies again and cook until you see the oil on sides. This is the best sign that roasting is done
8- Garnish the bhaji with coriander leaves and paneer cubes. Serve this with some kachumber salad and buttered pav or buns
