Pav bhaji is the quintessential Indian street food, commonly found at roadside stalls across the Mumbai. This spicy vegetable masala is served with warm, buttered pavs, give my Homemade Pavs a try it will cater to all your senses and can easily be made at home.
Bhaji Masala recipe
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serving: 6 people
Ingredients:
For the vegetables
Cauliflower: 1 medium to big-sized, cut into florets
Potato: 1 big or 2 medium-sized, diced
Carrot: 1 big, diced
Peas: 1-1/2 cups
For the gravy base
Onion: 2 medium-sized, chopped small
Tomato: 4 medium-sized, chopped small
Green capsicum: 1 chopped small
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 Tbsp
Coriander powder: 2 Tsp
Cumin powder: 1 Tsp
Turmeric: 1/2 Tsp
Red chilli powder: 2 Tsp
Pav Bhaji masala powder: 2-3 Tbsp
Salt: 1-1/2 Tsp
Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup, chopped fine
Juice of half a lemon
Oil: 2 Tbsp
For garnish
Finely chopped onions, green chilies, coriander leaves
Lemon wedges
Butter cut into small cubes (optional)
Instructions
Pressure cook all the vegetables together in a pressure cooker for one whistle and smash lightly using a vegetable smasher.
Add the oil into a thick bottomed pan. When it heats up, add the chopped onions and saute until light brown in color, then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 5-8 mins. Add the tomatoes and stir until the oil separates. Add in the masala powders and saute for a minute, stirring well so as not to burn.
Add the chopped capsicum and a half cup of water to cook, Gently stir in the smashed vegetables and mix well. Give it a taste adjust the seasoning as needed.
Once fully cooked through, add the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and turn off the heat.
To serve, cut the pav/buns horizontally, and toast them on a frying pan/tava with a cube of butter right before eating. Garnish the bhaji masala with chopped coriander leaves, onion, chilies, butter (optional) and lemon wedges and serve with the freshly toasted pavs.
