Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji originated in Bombay as a quick meal for the textile workers, but has become hugely popular and is Mumbai's most iconic street food
Ingredients
3 large potatoes
1 small cauliflower (florets)
1 cup green peas
1 carrot
100g unsalted butter
1 tbsp oil
3 fine chopped onions
5 fine chopped tomatoes
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
4 tsp pav bhaji masala
Pav Bhaji Spice powder - grind to a powder
2 tbsps coriander seeds
1 black cardamon
2 green cardamoms
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
3 dried red chilies
1 inch cinnamon piece
2 to 4 cloves
1/2 tbsp amchur (dried mango powder)
2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp kasuri methi
Accompaniments: brioche rolls, extra unsalted butter, finely chopped red onions, fresh coriander leaves, lemon wedges
Cooking Steps
Step 1
Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrot, with a little water and salt until soft. Mash the cooked vegetables thoroughly with a potato masher.
Step 2
Heat butter and oil in a large pan. Add chopped onions and saute until translucent. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, followed by the chopped green pepper.
Step 3
Add the chopped tomatoes, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, salt and 4 tsp of the ground pav bhaji masala. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and oil separates from the masala.
Step 4
Mix the mashed vegetables into the pan along with a splash of water. Mash everything together again in the pan and let simmer for 5 minutes. Crush in kasuri methi and a tablespoon of butter at the end.
Step 5
Slice the brioche buns in half. Melt butter on a hot griddle, sprinkle a pinch of pav bhaji masala and coriander, and toast the buns until golden and crisp.
Serve the hot bhaji topped with a generous dollop of butter, fresh coriander, raw onions, and lemon wedges alongside the buttered pav.