Pav Bhaji
Everybody knows about the classic bread and jam! Pav comes from the word, pao, which means leavened bread in Portuguese (Influence of Portuguese colonization of India). Bhaji is nothing but a savory version of jam, made of vegetables. The same way you spread the jam on a toasted bread, spread this dish instead on the toasted bread. Any type of soft bread would work well... with soft burger buns this would taste divine!
Another way of looking at it is... it's very similar to a vegetarian burger; with a semisolid patty. Great party food, this can be made one day ahead; cool, refrigerate and reheat just before serving. You can make this dish if you have some very basic vegetables and pav bhaji masala. And based on our experience so far... kids and adults from every part of the world would enjoy it equally. All in all, a very flexible, easy to make, and absolutely delicious dish.
Tips: Traditionally, this dish is made with lots of butter. But I have been making it only using sunflower oil (which has a neutral taste), just enough to sauté the vegetables and the dish always tasted delicious. Also, I think the way the vegetables are cut changes the taste of this dish; the finer the vegetables are chopped, the more flavorful the dish tastes...
Also, I do not buy vegetables specifically for this dish. Over the week whenever I use the vegetables for other dishes, I just keep a couple or a piece of them so that by the end of the week, there would be enough to make this dish. And, I don't really need any bread with it at all; all I do is, take the hot bhaji in a soup bowl, sprinkle a good amount of finely chopped onion and cilantro, squeeze some lime — yummy!!!
Pav bhaji
3 medium potatoes
2 carrots
A handful of green beans
1/4 of a cauliflower
1 large onion
3 tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
3 Tbsp sunflower oil (or butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
One and a half teaspoon pav bhaji masala powder
Pav bhaji masala powder is available at Indian grocery stores as well as amazon. Of the various brands available in the market, MDH pav bhaji masala, is good to start with.
Grind together:
3 Green Chillies (optional - usually the pav bhaji masala powder will have red chilli powder added to it)
1/2 inch piece of Ginger
3 flakes of Garlic
To serve:
Burger Buns, or any soft bread
Onion
Cilantro (coriander) leaves
Lime
Cut all the vegetables except potatoes into very small pieces - the finer the better - keep each of them separate. Peel the potatoes.. Cook carrots, beans, cauliflower and potatoes together until they are soft, Do not cook bell pepper! Drain the potatoes and vegetables and mash. Save the water.
In a pan, heat the sunflower oil at medium low heat, season with cumin seeds, add onions and fry. When it is golden brown add the ground paste (of green chili, ginger and garlic) and fry. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally, until it is mashed well. Cooked for shorter time, tomatoes will give a fresh flavor where as longer time will give a cooked flavor.
Add the mashed potatoes and vegetables, finely chopped bell pepper, turmeric powder, Pav bhaji masala, salt and sugar. Pour just enough of the saved water to make it into a thick gravy. Mix well. ( If you prefer to add a little more masala, you can add at this point). Using a ladle, mash thoroughly when it is boiling, Once the gravy thickens, turn off the heat.
Serve hot, with finely chopped onion, cilantro leaves and slices of lime.
You can either add onion, cilantro, and squeezed lime to the hot bhaji just before serving or keep them separate so that everyone can add according to individual liking.
To prepare the pav...
Cut the buns horizontally into half, apply sunflower oil or butter on both sides and lightly toast them on a griddle.
To serve:
Spread a couple of spoons of the hot bhaji, on the inside of one half of the bun; sprinkle chopped onions, cilantro leaves and squeeze the lime. Close the bun with the other half.
You can also have it by dipping pieces of toasted bread in the bhaji to which onions, cilantro and lime are added.
Enjoy!
