Pav Bhaji (Mixed Veggies with Toasted Bread - Mumbai Street Food)

 

          This is a favorite Mumbai street food found in every street corners and is also popular in the other parts of Maharashtra. It is a simple mixed vegetables served with butter toasted pavs / bread. Quite filling and wholesome, it satiates your hunger and is the perfect lunch time meal for all office goers in Mumbai. This yummy one-dish meal can be enjoyed as a light dinner too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

          

               The bhaji is healthy and nutritious at the same time with the goodness of mixed veggies. Moreover one can keep a check on the amount of butter if it is homemade. You can camouflage it with any veggies that your kids do not like and it will be gone in no time without any fuss. 

              There is absolutely no need to worry if Pav Bhaji masala is unavailable. You can add some garam masala instead. In fact, I sometimes use chicken masala too. It works just as fine. It is also accompanied with lime wedges, green chilies, chopped onion and coriander leaves. 

• 1 cup each of capsicum, carrots, potato, peas, cabbage and cauliflower
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 3 tbsp. butter or as required
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 tomatoes, pureed
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. pav bhaji masala
• extra butter 
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves. chopped
• few pavs (bread) as required
• onion, green chilies & lime wedges

          Pressure cook the veggies in 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles. Mash them well with a potato masher and keep aside, 

          Heat oil and butter in pan and sauté the onion till it turns translucent.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Now add the tomato puree and the tomato paste. Mix well and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.  

          Add the mashed veggies and required quantity of water. Simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes or till the oil floats on the top. 

          When almost done, add some more butter and kasuri methi. Give it a nice mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and keep aside.

          Heat another tsp. of butter on a tawa / griddle. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala, a tsp. of the prepared bhaji and some coriander leaves. 

          Toast the pav halves on both sides. Serve the pav bhaji with a dollop of butter on top of it along with the toasted pavs, chopped onion, green chilies and lime wedges for a great street style comfort meal. 

  Pressure cook the veggies in 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles.

                                 Mash them well with a potato masher and keep aside.

                          Heat oil and butter in pan & sauté the onion till it turns translucent.

                       Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. 

                       Sauté till the oil separates. 

                      Add tomato puree & tomato paste. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes.  

                    Add the mashed veggies & required quantity of water. Simmer on a low

                    flame for 8-10 minutes or till the oil floats on the top. 

                         When almost done, add some more butter & kasuri methi. Give it a

                         mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. 

                                 Garnish with coriander leaves and keep aside.

                          Heat another tsp. of butter on a tawa. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala, 

                          a tsp. of the prepared bhaji and some coriander leaves. 

                                 Toast the pav halves on both sides.

                       Serve pav bhaji with a dollop of butter along with the toasted pavs.

                        chopped onion, green chilies & lime wedges.

Sai Bhaji (Spinach-Chana Dal-Veggies Curry - Sindhi Cuisine)

          This is a simple, traditional Sindhi style dal recipe cooked with chana dal (Bengal Gram Lentil), spinach, fenugreek leaves and eggplants. Other veggies and greens too can be added. As I just had spinach, methi and eggplants available, I made use of them to make it. A wholesome and a nutritious treat. It is had with some Sindhi pulao, paratha or chapatti.

          There are various methods of preparing this delectable dish and this happens to be my version. Chopped tomatoes and tamarind juice can be added to give it a tangy flavor. Otherwise, make use of lime juice to attain the taste as I did so in this recipe. A little bit of ghee along with oil for the tempering adds to the ultimate flavor. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 bunches spinach, washed, rinsed & chopped
• 1 cup methi leaves (fenugreek), chopped
• 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal gram lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 eggplants, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, grated
• 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. tomato paste 
• coriander leaves, fresh chilly & sliced lime to garnish

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and add the onion, ginger, half of the garlic and chilies. Sauté till light brown in color. Add the chopped eggplants and sauté for 2 minutes on medium flame.

          Now add the chopped greens, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt to taste and coriander powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes till well combined.

          Add the soaked chana dal and 1 cup water. Pressure cook for 6-7 whistles. Mix well and mash it up slightly. Transfer it to a serving bowl.

          Heat the remaining oil and ghee. Add the cumin seeds and sauté for a few seconds. Add the asafoetida and the remaining chopped garlic. Sauté till it changes color.

          Add the tomato paste and sauté for a few more seconds. Pour over the prepared Sai Bhaji and serve, garnished with coriander leaves, lime and fresh chili.

                 Spinach, Fenugreek leaves, soaked chana dal, onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies 
                 and chopped eggplants.

                 Turmeric powder, roasted coriander powder, asafoetida, red chili powder, cumin
                  seeds & tomato paste.

                             
                  Heat 2 tbsp. oil & saute onions, ginger, half of the garlic & green chilies till
                  light brown.
                                          

                                Add chopped eggplants & saute for 2 minutes.

                                Add spinach & fenugreek leaves.

                   Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, roasted coriander powder & salt.

                                Add soaked chana dal & 1 cup water.

                                Pressure cook for 6-7 whistles.

                                Mash it up slightly.

                Heat oil & ghee & temper with cumin seeds, asafoetida, remaining chopped
                garlic & tomato paste.

                                Pour the tempering on the prepared dal & serve.

Zaatari Gavar Bhaji (Cluster Beans Curry with Zaatar Masala)

       
           This time I decided to try another way of preparing Gavar vegetable (cluster beans). So I went ahead and cooked in the Mediterranean style, by adding Zaatar spice mix. It tasted completely different from the usual curries. In simple terms, it was just awesome. It goes best with chapatis or parathas. 

• 400 gms. Gavar (cluster beans), chopped into 1" pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. zaatar spice mix
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves

          Steam the gavar till soft. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Then add the onion, garlic and green chilies and fry till the onions turn translucent.

          Now add the gavar, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and sauté on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add the zaatar spice mix and lime juice and mix well.

          Take it off the fire after a minute and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with any Indian bread.