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 
• 1/2 tsp. salt or 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.

Vada Pav (Indian Style Burger - Mumbai Street Snack)

          This is an Indian style burger which is a very popular street food in the state of Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai. Found almost in every street corners and in small eateries, people literally live on it throughout the day and it is a favourite lunch time meal for all office-goers and students. It can be served as a tea-time snack too.

           This simple, humble and an equally yummy bun stuffed with a vada (dumpling) and served with green chutney, sweet chutney and spicy garlic chutney is sold like hot cakes. For some variation, try having it with a sprinkle of some grated cheese. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Vada - 

• 1 large potato / 2 med. potatoes, boiled & mashed
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste

Batter - 

• 1/2 cup besan (Gram flour)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• oil to deep fry

Other Ingredients - 

• Pav Buns as required
• tamarind sweet chutney to serve
• coriander-mint chutney to serve
• garlic chutney to serve

          Vada - Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. Then add the asafoetida, garlic, ginger, green chilies and salt.

          Sauté till light brown. Add this tempering to the boiled & mashed potatoes. Mix well along with coriander leaves.

          Form into equal size balls and refrigerate for an hour. Prepare a semi-thick batter with the besan, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, baking soda and required quantity of water.

          Heat oil in a pan. Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry them in batches till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

          To assemble the vada pav - Take a pav bun, slit halfway and smear with the green chutney and the tamarind - sweet chutney on either sides. 

          Add some garlic chutney and place a vada on it. Drizzle some more of the chutneys and a sprinkle of more of the garlic chutney. Serve with green chili for a delicious snack.

                         

                    Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds. Add garlic, asafoetida, ginger, salt 
                    & green chilies. Saute till light brown.

                            Add tempering to mashed potatoes & mix with coriander leaves.

                                 Form into equal sized balls. Refrigerate for an hour.

                 Make a thick batter with besan, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder & 
                 baking soda.

                                Dip balls in the batter & deep fry them ....

                                  ......till golden in colour.

                                 Drain on a kitchen towel.

                    Smear some green chutney & sweet chutney on either sides of the pav.

                                  Spread some garlic chutney.

                                  Place a vada over it & some more of the chutneys.

                                  Serve this yummy Vada Pav with some fresh green chilies.