Pav Bhaji: Make easy Mumbai street style Pav and bhaji

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About Pav Bhaji

Hello foodies.. today I am going to tell you the mouthwatering yummy recipe of how to make street style pao bhaji. Pav bhaji, Paw bhaji or Pao bhaji (Marathi : पाव भाजी pāʋ bhājī)

This is one of the street food dishes from India that Indians love the most. It originated in the city of Mumbai (Mahrashtra). It comprises a spicy mash of the vegetable curry (bhaji) served with soft, buttered, toasted bread rolls (pav). Prepared in a rich and aromatic flavor making it a favourite among foodies in all over the country. The recipe is typically served as a complete meal for lunch and dinner. But has transformed into a popular street food recipe in India. You can find pao bhaji easily in street vendors with different taste and also with different experiment of using paneer, cheese even with other veggies, but i love to make it at home with simple butter tossed.

History of Pav Bhaji

The origin story of Pav Bhaji is wonderfully popular and interesting. Pao Bhaji originated in Mumbai, India due to a select group of hungry textile mill workers in the 1850s. The laborer’s used to eat light food because of short breaks during work. The workers need food that would fuel them through their workday. vendors heard of the workers’ needs and he adapted his menu to meet their needs. They innovatively combined leftover vegetables, mashed and cooked them with spices, and served the mix with pav. The dish quickly became popular among workers for being filling, affordable, and accessible to eat on the go. Since then, it’s become a very popular street food in India.

Step by Step Guide to make Pav Bhaji

1. [Prepare the Vegetables]

Boil the Vegetables:

Take a pressure cooker and put potatoes, cauliflowers(chopped) , carrots(finely chopped), and green peas(cut in pieces). Pour approximately one cup of water into the cooker and then cook under pressure for 2-3 whistles or until the vegetables are tender. Allow the pressure to release naturally before mashing the softened vegetables with a potato masher until you achieve a coarse paste.

Chop Additional Ingredients:

Finely chop onions, tomatoes, capsicum (bell peppers), and green chilies to ensure they blend seamlessly into your dish.

2. [Cooking the Bhaji]

Heat Butter and Oil:

Take a pan or kadhai and add one tablespoon each of butter and oil. Once heated, put cumin seeds and allow them to crackle briefly.

Saute Onions and Aromatics:

Introduce the finely chopped onions to the pan and saute them until they develop a golden brown color. Following this, add ginger-garlic paste along with green chilies; continue sauteing for an additional minute until aromatic.

Cook Tomatoes and Capsicum:

Add in the chopped tomatoes next, cooking them down until they become soft and mushy. Then mix in finely chopped capsicum (bell pepper)and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft.

Incorporate Spices:

Sprinkle turmeric powder, red chili powder, and Pav Bhaji Masala over the mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure that all spices blend well with onions’ tomato base.

Add Mashed Vegetables:

Pour in your mashed vegetable mixture from before. Combine everything uniformly while adjusting consistency by adding salt according to taste along with some water if necessary. Allow for continued mashing as it cooks on medium heat for around 5-7 minutes; remember to stir occasionally prevent sticking at the bottom of your pan.

Finish with Lemon Juice and Coriander:

Finally pour one tablespoon lemon juice into your bhaji mixture combining well while garnishing generously with freshly chopped coriander leaves once off heat placement; set aside for now.

3. [Toast The Pav]

Heat Butter In A Pan:

On another tawa or frying pan over moderate heat prepare by melting two tablespoons worth of butter followed by sprinkling half teaspoon measured quantity of Pav Bhaji Masala across its surface area instantly igniting flavors!

Toast The Pav:

Slice both pav rolls evenly in half then place their sliced sides onto tawa where melted buttery goodness awaits—toast till edges turn delightfully crisp! Brown both sides, letting the butter soak in. Remove from the flame. Set aside.

[Serve the Pav bhaji]

Plate the Bhaji:

Put in your serving bowl the hot bhaji coming from the pan and then add one cube of butter on top for extra creaminess.

Garnish and Accompany:

Serve with the chopped onions, coriander leaves, and lemon wedges on the side. After that arrange the buttered pav rolls on the plate alongside the bhaji.

Serve and Enjoy:

Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the bhaji, mix, and enjoy the soft buttered pav.

Pav Bhaji: Make easy Mumbai street style Bhaji

Recipe by LalitCourse: Pav bhajiCuisine: Indian

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

400

kcal

Ingredients you’ll need

• For Bhaji (Vegetable Curry)
  3 large potatoes (boiled and mashed)

• 1/2 cup green peas

• 1 cup cauliflower (chopped)

• 2 large onions (finely chopped)

• 3 tomatoes (pureed)

• 1 green chili (chopped)

• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp oil (any cooking oil)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• salt (as per taste)

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 lemon (for juice)

• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

• For Pav

• 4 pav (buns)

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala

Directions

• Step 1: Prepare the Bhaji
  -Take a large pan and then heat oil and butter in pan. Add some cummun seeds and let them splutter.
  -After oil get hot, add chooped onions and saute until golden brown. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and green chili.
  -Then add tomato puree and cook until the mixture thickens and oil separates.
  -After this mix pav bhaji masala, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Stir well.
  -After mixing it well you can add chopped bell pepper, boiled peas, and cauliflower. Cook for a few minutes.
  -Then add mashed potatoes and mix everything thoroughly.
  -Add 1/2 cup water and mash the bhaji using a potato masher until smooth.
  -Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add garam masala, lemon juice, and coriander leaves, and mix.
• Step 2: Toast the Pav
  -Take a pan and heat with butter. Sprinkle pav bhaji masala over the butter.
  -Then Slice the pav in half and place it on the butter in hot pan.
  -Toast pav until golden brown on both sides.
• Step 3: Serve and Enjoy
  -Now Serve Hot vegetable curry(bhaji) in a bowl with toasted pav, garnished with butter, chopped onions, corriander leaves with lemon.
  -Taste and enjoy delicious mouthwatering street-style Pav Bhaji.