Mumbai style Pav Bhaji|How to make Pav bhaji

Pav bhaji is the popular dish in the Maharashtra region. Pav-bhaji dish has a long history and it originated during the thriving textile industry business in Mumbai. The dish was particularly served as a fast-food for the textile workers and thus serving the required nutrients from the combination of vegetables. Gradually, due to the popularity of this recipe, it eventually turned out to be a street food served in every corner of the street.

MUMBAI STYLE PAV BHAJI

What is pav bhaji

Pav is a simple soft white bread roll and bhaji is the marathi word for vegetables or a vegetable based dish (dry or gravy). Since both the bhaji (vegetable gravy) and pav are served together, hence the name ‘pav bhaji.

Due to the popularity of this recipe, there has been several adulteration and variation to the pav bhaji recipe. Variations on pav bhaji include:

•    Street style pav bhaji
•    Cheese pav bhaji, with cheese on top of the bhaji
•    Fried pav bhaji, with the pav tossed in the bhaji
•    Paneer pav bhaji, added paneer cheese cubes in the bhaji
•    Mushroom pav bhaji, mushrooms added in the bhaji
•    Khada pav bhaji, bhaji which is not properly mashed as vegetable chunks in the bhaji
•    Jain pav bhaji, without onions and garlic and with plantains instead of potatoes
•    Kolhapuri pav bhaji, bhaji which is spicy with Kolhapuri masala.
•    White pav bhaji, bhaji in which no garam masala and no chilli powder is added.
•    Punjabi pav bhaji robust pav bhaji made with more spices and more butter.

Recipe card for Mumbai style pav bhaji recipe:

MUMBAI STYLE PAV BHAJI  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES                   COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES                 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES CUSINE: INDIAN STREET FOOD AUTHOR: SWATI RASOI SERVES: 4     INGREDIANTS For cooking veggies for bhaji 3 medium sizes potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 to 1.25 cups chopped cauliflower 1 cup chopped carrot 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen ⅓ cup chopped french beans 3 cups water for pressure cooking Other ingredients for pav bhaji 3 tbsp amul butter 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 large onion, finely chopped  1.5 inch ginger and 5 to 6 medium garlic cloves finely chopped 1 or 2 green chillies, chopped 1 medium sized capsicum (green bell pepper), finely chopped 2 to 3 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder  2 to 3 tbsp pav bhaji masala, add as required 1.5 to 2 cups water if needed 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)  salt as required For toast Pavs 12 Pavs for serving with the bhaji 1-2 tbsp butter 1/4 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 lemon, chopped in wedges 3 to 4 tbsps chopped coriander leaves, for garnish                        INSTRUCTIONS: Cooking veggies for bhaji      Rinse and peel roughly chopped veggies.       Add all the roughly chopped veggies(1 cup chopped cauliflower, 1 cup chopped carrot, 3 medium sized potatoes (chopped) and ⅓ cup chopped french beans, 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) and  you can also add veggies of your choice. Add salt and 3 cup water.      Pressure cook the veggies for 5 whistles on medium flame. When pressure releases open the lid and mash them properly. Making bhaji      Heat up deep sauce pan, add 2-3 tbsp  butter      As soon as the butter melts, add cumin seeds      Let the cumin seeds crackle and change their color.      Add chopped onion      Saute on a low to medium flame till they turn translucent.      Add ginger garlic paste or finely  chopped ginger garlic and green chillies.      Mix and saute till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.      Add finely chopped tomatoes. Mix very well.      Add salt and saute till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.      See butter releasing from the sides. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium flame. If the tomatoes start sticking to the pan, then sprinkle some water and mix well.      Add finely chopped capsicum.     Now add 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder.       Now add 1 tsp Pav bhaji masala and mix well.      Add the cooked veggies and mix very well.      With a potato masher, begin to mash the veggies directly in the pan      Add  1 tsp lemon juice to bhaji as it gives sourness to bhaji.It is optional.      Keep on, stirring occasionally and let the bhaji simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.      If the bhaji becomes dry and then add some more water. the consistency is neither very thick nor thin.      Add kasuri methi and garam masala cooked until it gives desire consistency.        Garnish bhaji with coriander leaves and butter.  Frying Pav for Pav bhaji     Heat a tawa on low flame,add butter.              When the butter begins to melt, add 1/4 tsp Pav bhaji masala,     Mix the Pav bhaji masala  very well with a spoon or spatula.     Cook on medium flame so that pav absorbs the butter and masala nicely.     Place the pav on the butter.     Rotate and till they turn golden and crisp.     Serve chopped onion, coriander leaves, lemon with Pav bhaji.

How to make Mumbai style Pav bhaji with step by step photo

Cooking veggies for bhaji

1. Rinse and peel roughly chopped veggies.

2. Add all the roughly chopped veggies (1 cup chopped cauliflower, 1 cup chopped carrot, 3 medium sized potatoes (chopped) and ⅓ cup chopped french beans, 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) and  you can also add veggies of your choice. Add salt and 3 cup water.

3. Pressure cook the veggies for 5 whistles on medium flame.When pressure releases open the lid and mash them properly.

   Making bhaji

   1. Heat up deep sauce pan, add 2-3 tbsp  butter.

2. As soon as the butter melts, add cumin seeds.

3. Let the cumin seeds crackle and change their color.

4. Add chopped onion

5. Saute on a low to medium flame till they turn translucent.

6. Add ginger garlic paste or finely  chopped ginger garlic and green chilies.

7. Mix and saute till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.

 8. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Mix very well.

 9. Add salt and saute till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

10. See butter releasing from the sides. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium flame. If the tomatoes start sticking to the pan, then sprinkle some water and mix well.

11. Add finely chopped capsicum.

12. Now add 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder.

 13. Now add 1 tsp pav bhaji masala and mix well.

14. Add the cooked veggies and mix very well.

 15. With a potato masher, begin to mash the veggies directly in the pan.

 16. Add  1 tsp lemon juice to bhaji as it gives sourness to bhaji.It is optional. 

 17. Keep on, stirring occasionally and let the bhaji simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

   18. If the bhaji becomes dry and then add some more water. the consistency is neither very thick nor thin.

  19. Add kasuri methi and garam masala cooked until it gives desire consistency.

20. Garnish with coorainder leaves and butter.

Frying Pav for Pav bhaji

   1.Heat a tawa on low flame,add butter.  

       2.When the butter begins to melt, add 1/4 tsp Pav bhaji masala.

   3.Mix the Pav bhaji masala very well with a spoon or spatula.

       4.Cook on medium flame so that pav absorbs the butter and masala nicely.

       5.Place the pav on the butter.

   
6. Serve chopped onion, coriander leaves, lemon with Pav bhaji.

Tips

•    If you don't have Pav bhaji masala, then you go for garam masala and dry mango powder (2 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp dry mango powder).

•    Use good quality of Pav bhaji masala.

•    You can add more other veggies according to your preference.

•    According to your preference, you  can add more Pav bhaji masala.