Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji is
a world-well-known fast food dish from Maharashtra. The recipe is an
amalgamation of vegetables with a unique combo of spices called Pav Bhaji
Masala and served with soft bread roll aka Pav.
Let's first
start with Pav Bhaji Masala
Pav Bhaji Masala
Ingredients:
2) 2 tbsp cumin seeds (18 grams)
3) 5 dried red chilies (3-4 grams), adjust to taste
4) 8 cloves
5) 1 tbsp fennel seeds (9 grams)
6) 3 black cardamom
7) 1 cinnamon stick, around 2 inches
8) 1.5 tsp turmeric powder (6 grams)
9) 2 tsp ground black pepper (6 grams)
10) 1.5 tbsp amchur (18 grams)
11) ½ tsp ground ginger (1 gram)
12) 2 tsp black salt (12 grams)
Preparation:
Dry roast
coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, cloves, fennel seeds, black
cardamom and cinnamon stick in a pan on medium heat until fragrant (for around
3-4 minutes)
Let it cool
and then transfer spices to a spice grinder
Stir
turmeric powder, ground black pepper, amchur, ground ginger and black salt.
Grind until powdered and well combined
Store Pav Bhaji Masala in an airtight
container at room temperature and use as required.
This makes
around 100 grams of Pav Bhaji Masala.
Recipe for Pav Bhaji:
Recipe for Pav Bhaji:
1- Boil the veggies first and keep them ready.
2- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter
and oil in a large pot on medium heat. Once the butter melts and oil is hot,
add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
3- Add the chopped onions and
mix. I like to use my food processor to chop them really fine.
4- Cook the onions for around 4
minutes until golden brown in color. Add the finely chopped ginger, garlic and
green chili. Again, I used my food processor to chop them really fine.
Cook the ginger-garlic-green
chili for 1 minute.
5- Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Let
the tomatoes cook for 2 minutes.
6- Add tomato puree, 1/4 cup water and 1/4
teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and let the tomato cook for 6 minutes until
softened and completely cooked.
7- Add the pav bhaji masala, red chili
powder and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. You may also add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
here (optional).
8- Mix well and then add in 2 teaspoons of
kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
9- Stir in the boiled veggies and mix.
10- Using a potato masher, mash the
veggies until they are completely mixed with the masala.
11- Add the remaining 3/4 – 1 cup water
and mix. I used an immersion blender to blend the veggies to a paste like
consistency, this is optional. You may keep them as such.
Cover the pot and set heat to low. Let the
bhaji simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
12- Open the pot and add in the remaining
2 tablespoons of butter.
13- Add a generous amount of chopped
cilantro.
14- Then add in juice of 1 large lemon.
Let the bhaji simmer for 2 more minutes and then remove pan from heat.
15- To toast the pav, melt butter on a
pan. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on top of the butter and then place the
buns on the pan.
16- Press to toast the pav until crisp and
golden brown from both sides.
