This week I tried to cook Pav Bhaji. Pav Bhaji is a famous street food in India. It originally came from Mumbai, India but now enjoyed all over the world. Interestingly, while searching for the best cooking sites and channels to learn how to make Pav Bhaji, I know about the history of this food. In ancient times, it was a quick and healthy lunch meal for textile workers in Mumbai. Later, it became a popular restaurant dish and now, like other street foods it is easily find from local street vendors.
Pav Bhaji is a pure vegetarian dish consisting of a thick spicy vegetable curry which is served with soft buttered bread. Luckily, during my shooting tournaments, I had the chance to taste the authentic, mouthwatering Pav Bhaji. Now, in Canada through my learning journey I tried to recreate those memories and tried to cook Pav Bhaji just like that one I had in my home country and following the You Tube cooking channel Home Cooking Show
Preparation.
The best part of this dish is that you can use any kind of vegetable you like. So, I chose all my favorite green vegetables including, carrots, potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic paste and tomatoes. For species, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and special Pav Bhaji masala. The key ingredient in this dish is butter (according to me), which enhances the flavors of Pav Bhaji. I divided the cooking process into steps.
Step 1.
Boiling vegetables.
First, I boiled all green vegetables such as, carrot, potatoes, green peas and cauliflower. I used a pressure cooker for fast cooking. Once all vegetables were well-cooked than I roughly mashed them with a masher until, it comes like thick paste.
Step 2.
Preparing the Bhaji Masala.
I heated butter in a flat pan and added cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds released their aroma in butter than added finely chopped onions and green chilies. When onions turns light pink than added fresh ginger and garlic paste and cooked everything on medium heat. Next, added all the dry spices and tomato puree, cooking until the mixture turned deep red. (The important tip at this stage add a little bit of water to the mixture for perfectly cook and doesn’t burn). Once the masala was cooked than I added the mashed vegetables and cooked another few minutes.
Step 3.
Toasting the Pav.
I used packed Pav since, I do not have baking experience yet. Hopefully, in a future blog I will be able to share my baking experience. If you know how to bake breads, you can try to making fresh Pav at home. Actually, last year on my birthday in India, my aunt made homemade Pav with Pav bhaji and it tasted amazing.
Back to the dish, I cut the Pav into two parts, then heated another flat pan, and added some butter, and toasted the Pav until it turned slightly golden and crispy.
Step 4.
Garnishing and Serving.
I garnished the Bhaji with finely chopped green coriander and also added small piece of butter. Finally, I served with thin sliced onions and half cut of lemon and toasted Pav.
Here it is final result.
Followed Links:
You Tube
Hello Babbandeep,
It’s so interesting and the dish looks so yummy. It’s easy and really healthy one snacks. The tips that you gave in steps I will also try to follow in the weekend. Thank you for such an interesting blog.