Pav Bhaji

The one dish that signifies Mumbai's street food is Pav Bhaji. While there are many more delicacies in this league but somehow Pav Bhaji has always retained its popularity. Credit also goes to the readily available Pav Bhaji masala in the supermarkets of both India and abroad. However, as easy as it seems to be, most people including me often fail to recreate the exact taste. I have always followed the instructions available on the back of the masala packet to prepare Pav Bhaji at home. This time however I decided to search the Internet for recipes and came across Tarla Dalal's simple recipe which was a little different from the usual procedure, at least for me.

Ingredients

200 gms cauliflower, cut into florets

2 medium poatoes, diced

1/2 cup green peas

3 medium onions, chopped plus for garnishing

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 small capsicum, chopped 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala

Salt to taste (the original recipe called for black salt)

1-2 tbsp butter

To be ground to a paste

3-4 kashmiri red chillies, soaked in warm water

3-4 garlic cloves

Direction

Boil the cauliflower, potatoes, and peas until tender. Drain the water and keep aside. 

In a pan, heat the butter and fry the onions till translucent. Add the capsicum and the prepared paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy and the oil separates. Add the dry spices and mix well. Now add the boiled vegetables and salt. With the help of a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the veggies well. Add a little water if required (I like my pav bhaji without gravy so I did not add any). Garnish with freshly chopped onions and serve with butter seared buns.