Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is the most popular Street Food of Mumbai. Pav means a loaf of bread and Bhaji is a thick potato based curry cooked with spicy blend of vegetables. Pav Bhaji is not just a meal for the common man. It has great versatility too, reason being they are called the King of Mumbai Street Cuisine. As per Wikis, the origin of this dish is traced to the heyday of the textile mills in Mumbai. The mill workers used to have lunch breaks too short for a full meal, and a light lunch was preferred to a heavy one, as the employees had to return to physical labor after lunch. A vendor created this dish using items or parts of other dishes available on the menu. Roti or Rice was replaced with Pav and the curries that usually go with Indian bread or rice were amalgamated into just one spicy concoction-the 'Bhaji'. Initially, it remained as the food of the mill-workers and then gradually it finding its way into restaurants and spreading all over Mumbai and entire Maharashtra.  This is a very delicious dish and the recipe is as follows…

Ingredients:

·         Potatoes – 2 (Medium)

·         Cauliflower(Grated) – ¼ Cup

·         Green Capsicum (Deseeded & Chopped) – ¼ Cup

·         Green Peas  – ½ Cup

·         Onion (Finely Chopped) – 2 (Medium)

·         Green Chilly(Finely Chopped) – 1

·         Tomatoes (Chopped) – 3 (Medium)

·         Coriander Leaves (Finely Chopped) – 1 Bunch

·         Ginger – Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

·         Dry Fenugreek Leaves – 1 tsp

·         Pav Bhaji Masala – 2 tsp

·         Red Chili Powder – ½ tsp

·         Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

·         Lemon Juice -  1 tsp

·         Asafetida (Hing) – a Pinch

·         Butter – 2 tbsp (for Bhaji)

·         Butter – 1 tbsp (for Pav)

·         Pav (Bread) – 2 (Buy from Market)

Preparing Method:

     For Bhaji

Ø  Boil Potatoes & Green Peas; mashed it and keep aside.

Ø  Heat butter in a Frying Pan; add chopped Onion and sauté for 3 mins; add Ginger-Garlic Paste and sauté for 2 mins in medium flame.

Ø  Add Capsicum, Grated Cauliflower and sauté till they are  soften.

Ø  Add Chopped Tomatoes & cook for 2-3 mins; add mashed Potatoes & Green peas, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder and add ¼ cup of water and cook for 5 mins.

Ø  Then, add Pav Bhaji Masala; Salt; Coriander Leaves and keep stirring till the Bhaji gets thicken and separate from Oil.

Ø  Finally add Dry Fenugreek Leaves, Hing, Lemon juice and mix well and fry for 1 min.

Ø  Now the Bhaji is ready. Garnish with Chopped Onion; Coriander Leaves & Lemon Wedges.

      For Pav

Ø  Heat Butter in a Pan / Griddle; Slice the Pav in middle and Fry with Butter.

Ø  Finally serve Pav & Bhaji together.