Monday, April 27, 2009

Repost -Pav Bhaji

I'm making a repost today. This is being sent for the 15 minute cooking event conducted by Mahima
Mumbai is known for its street food as it is for Bollywood. I have visited Mumbai once, on a school excursion, and have a vivid memory of all the yummy street food availabe there. Gol gappas( pani puri), vada pav, pav bhaji etc.

Once, I heard Anthony Bourdain, famous chef and Tv personality, remark on a Tv show, that he expected all the politicians, street vendors and other citizens to break into song and dance, out of the blue, on the streets (like in Indian movies) when he visited Mumbai. But, it didn't happen. He was disappointed at that, but, the street food did not disappoint, he said. That's fair enough.

Pav bhaji is the number one street food in Mumbai and soon catching up in other states as well. Pav means bread and bhaji means vegetable gravy. It is Indian fast food and mind you- a very healthy version compared to it's american counterparts. Now, how many fast foods can boast of that? I have heard that it is also called the - Indian sloppy joe.

Always makes as a meal in itself. It is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. The homemade version of this dish may never taste as authentic as the style in which the street vendors make it. But, it, defintely, is a more hygienic preparation and the flavors come close.
This food is worth every minute you spend making it.

Prep time - 20-25 mins
Ingredients:(serves 2-3)

  • Potatoes- 2 large( peeled and cut)
  • Carrots - 2 ( chopped)
  • Beans - 10 ( cut)
  • Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup
  • Peas - 1 cup
  • Capsicum( green pepper) - 1 small( diced)
  • Onions - 1 medium (diced)
  • Tomato - 1 (diced)
  • Pav bhaji masala - 2 tspns (click here to see recipe)
  • Cumin powder - 1 tspn
  • Garam masala - 3/4 tspn
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
  • Paprika powder - 1 tspn ( substitute with kashmiri chilli powder)
  • Chilli powder- to taste
  • Ginger - garlic paste- 1 tspn
  • Oil - 2 tbspns
  • Salt - to taste
  • Chopped coriander leaves - 3 tbsps
  • Butter - 1 tspn (optional)
  • Wedges of lemon and chopped onion -to garnish
Directions:
  • Boil the carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower and potatoes with little salt. Drain the vegetable and save the stock(stock is the water in which the vegetables were boiled)
  • Heat oil in a sauce pan.
  • Add onions and saute till translucent.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for about 3 mins.
  • Add the pav bhaji masala, turmeric powder, paprika powder, chilli powder and garam masala. Saute for 5-6 mins. Add tomato, capsicum and 3-4 tbspns of the vegetable stock( which was saved earlier) and cover and cook for 3-4 mins.
  • Add the necessary salt.( remember that the vegetables were cooked with salt earlier so add salt accordingly)
  • Add cumin powder and stir.
  • Add the boiled vegetables and mash with a potato masher.Mix well. Add 4-5 tbspns or more vegetable stock to this mixture till you get bhaji which is semi-solid.( it should not be too thick nor too dilute). Stir well till the masala is mixed well with the bhaji.
  • Cook on low flame for 2 mins.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with some chopped onions, coriander leaves and a blob of butter and a wedge of lemon.
  • Serve hot with pav( bread).
I forgot to add onions to my bhaji garnish while taking snap shots. I realised it only after I wiped my plate clean :)
Luv 'n' luc'
Smitha

17 comments:

  1. The picture looks good even without the onions.. I could see one digging into the plate with this kinda good, delicious, yummy, superb dish.

    I am just not bragging about it without trying it pals...try this recipe and you will too.....

    Good job Smithu...

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  2. Thanks priya,
    Kind of you to say such good things. Have fun trying out more recipes.

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  3. Love pav bhaji... looking good. Mouthwatering

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  4. Awesome Pav Bhaji..I am being reminded of my Pune days..yumm..:)

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  5. I love pav bhaji, this is favourite snack for my kids,I also prefer since it contains lots of veggeis, picture is inviting.

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  6. Paav baji looks tempting dear. Nice entry for the event.

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  7. hey Nice entry Smitha.......bhaji looks yumm!!!

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  8. Smitha, first time here.. Cheers to you(reading ur profile :)). Pav bhaji on the street is so yummy . Bread is yeasty too , with the street vendors, that goes well with spicy bhaji.. And u are right, great way to eat vegetables.

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  9. Ohhhhhh ... you've brought back good memories! The first time a friend of mine made this for me, I was skeptical, but one taste was all it took ... I was HOOKED! Yours looks mouthwatering!

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  10. I'd feel the same I guess,but food certainly makes me happy,pav bhaji is once such enjoyable fast food:)

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  11. Smitha, first time here..Nice blog lol...
    As i am staying in Mumbai i can say that u will find this in every corner of the street...Urs looking yumm too....
    n regarding the garnishing part so many times i forget to add something which i had planned earlier and will realise later..ha ha :)

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  12. First time here Smitha....you have a nice blog!
    Pav bhaji looks tempting:)

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  13. Hi Simitha, the pav bajji looks absolutely delicious, nice vibrant color :)

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  14. Am getting nostalgic and missing my mumbai days.. pav looks so yum!

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  15. Pav Bhaji is my absolute fave .. lovely pic there

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  16. Smitha-I've tried pav bhaji in almost every city that I've visited in India,but nobody can make it as good as the guys in Mumbai!!!
    P.S:I'm not advertising,but Everest pav bhaji masala is the best(for those interested)!

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  17. wow...pav bhaji looks yummy...

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