On a lazy weekend, I looked into my fridge hoping to get something to eat.There were few vegetables which really didn't help the cause. As I was gazing through the cupboard, I came across the pavbhaji masala packet that was lying uncared. I got an idea, so rushed to a nearby shop and bought round bread (Pav) and started to prepare Pavbhaji. This is the first time I'm preparing Pavbhaji, so all those experienced chef's over there if there is something missing in my method of preparation, do pitch in :-)
Pav Bhaji as I came to know is a Marathian delicacy. As the name suggests Pav means bread in Marathi and Bhaji means stir fried vegetables. Ok, now coming back to the recipe, as I told earlier, I am going to make this dish with what ever little vegetables I had at home (Beans, Peas, Carrots and Potatoes). So I am unsure of the final outcome. I came to know that there are two more essential ingredients (capsicum and cauliflower) which are absent in my recipe today. I hope still I can manage without these two. So here I present "Pav Bhajji" my Saturday Special.
Ingredients:
Potato - 2 large
Carrot - 1/2 cup, grated
Beans - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Tomato - 2 large size, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 teaspoon, minced
Garlic - 1 teaspoon, minced
Pav bhaji masala - 1 and 1/2 tablespoon
Chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Green chili - 1 no
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 5 strings, chopped finely
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Pav - 6
Method:
For Bhaji:
1) Wash the Potatoes. Now peel the outer skin of the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
2) Mix potatoes, carrot, beans and peas together and pressure cook them by adding a cup of water.
3) When all the vegetables are cooked, drain the excess water in a bowl. Now mash the vegetables well.
4) Take wide thick bottom pan and pour oil in it.
5) When oil is hot, add 3/4th of onions and saute them well.
6) After sauteing, when onions turn slightly translucent, add green chili, chopped ginger and garlic.
7) Saute them for 2 minutes.
8) Add tomatoes and saute them until the mixture is mashed completely.
9) Add the mashed vegetable mixture, pav bhaji masala, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
10) Now add water. You can use the water which was drained after cooking the vegetables (as said in Step 3).
11) Stir and mash well. when the gravy starts thickening, turn the flame to low to avoid the contents getting burnt. Keep stirring and as it gets thick.
12) Now remove the contents from the flame, garnish it with the coriander leaves and remaining onion.
For Pav:
1) Spread the butter to all the sides of pav and toast them well.
2) Serve this pav with bhaji.
My experiment turned out to be successful and the Pav Bhaji was really tasty and had a good aroma.
Note: You can add cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage and beetroot to the vegetables. You can add lemon to the bhaji after turning the flame off and also with the pav while serving.
