Pav Bhaji is a wonderful one-pot meal. It’s also a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies. Since it is all mashed up, what they can’t see. A great make ahead or take to potlucks, this street-food from the Mumbai beaches has come a long way.
Ingredients:
Potatoes – 3 cups, diced small
Cauliflower – 2 cups, finely chopped
Frozen Green Peas – 1 cup
Carrots – ½ cup, diced small
Salt – 1 tsp (to taste)
Haldi(Turmeric) – ¼ tsp
Water – 2 cups
Oil – 1 Tbsp
Butter – 1 Tbsp
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) – ½ tsp
Hing (Asofoetida) – pinch
Red Chili Powder – ¼ tsp (to taste)
Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
Garlic – 2 tsp, minced
Ginger – 2 tsp, minced
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped
Tomato Sauce – ½ cup (1/2 of 8 oz. can)
Pav Bhaji Masala – 2 tsp (to taste)
Dhania Powder – 1 tsp
Lemon Juice – ½ tsp (to taste)
Cilantro – 5 sprigs, chopped (for garnishing)
Method:
1. In a pressure cooker, add Potatoes, Cauliflower, Green Peas, Carrots, Salt, Haldi and Water – Mix well.
2. Pressure cook for 1 whistle and remove pressure after 2 minutes (To remove pressure, hold cooker under cold running water in sink).
3. Heat Oil and Butter in a non-stick pan.
4. Add Jeera and allow it to sputter.
5. Add Hing and Red Chili Powder.
6. Add Onions, Garlic and Ginger – stir well.
7. Cook until Oil starts to separate.
8. Add Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce and mix well.
9. Cook until Oil starts to separate again.
10. Add Pav Bhaji Masala and Dhania Powder – mix well and cook for 1 minute.
11. Add Vegetables and lightly mash.
12. Add Lemon Juice and adjust Salt/Chili Powder/Pav Bhaji Masala.
13. Cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with Cilantro, chopped raw Onions, Green Chillies and a squeeze of Lime juice.
Tips:
Watch the video for a microwave version.
Serve with toasted hamburger buns or potato rolls.
Sprinkle some finely chopped onions on the bhaji when serving.
Add a little pat of butter to the bhaji when serving….mmmm! (…only if your cholesterol isn’t through the roof!)
