My Kook Book

My favourite street food from Mumbai…..is Pav Bhaji….Whenever we went out, my ideal choice would evidently be Pav Bhaji. I would promise my best friend Saroj…naa this time I am ordering something else….but after reading through the menu….my choice would be Pav Bhaji….hehee

May be the colour and the aroma makes me go….”I need to have that”. Well I do miss all the street foods from Mumbai….especially Pav Bhaji.

Every month we try to make Pav Bhaji at home. What I have heard from some friends in Mumbai that the street vendors add red food colour to it. I am not sure about that. But when you make Pav Bhaji at home how do you get the red colour without adding artificial colour to it. When Saroj makes Pav Bhaji she adds beetroot to it. This gives a beautiful red colour to the dish. When I make Pav Bhaji I try to add all the reds : Tomatoes, red Pepper, Paav Bhaaji masala.

This time I added beetroot. :)…Thanks Saroj….

For 4 people:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cauliflower cut into florets, some green long beans, 2 carrots peeled and diced, a bowl of green peas. (You can also use the frozen packet. Many superstores sell the frozen vegetables) Boil these.
• 1 beetroot peeled and diced
• 2 red peppers (capsicum) diced (You can also use other coloured peppers)
• 2 Potatoes skin peeled
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 onions chopped finely
• 3 garlic cloves and a piece of ginger, and 2 green chillies. Crush them together.
• Pav Bhaaji masala ( I use the brand called MDH).

For serving:

• 8 pieces of Paav (buns)
• a lemon piece cut into quarters.
• 1 onion chopped finely.
• fresh chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

For Bhaaji:

1. Boil the cauliflower florets, beans carrots and green peas till they become tender.
2. In a separate pan boil the potatoes, red peppers, and beetroot pieces.
3. When they are done, keep the boiled vegetables aside. (don’t drain the water).
4. In a pan, add some oil. When the oil is heated add the chopped onion. When the onion turns pink add the ginger and garlic pieces and chilli pieces. Add the tomato pieces.
5. Saute for a while. Now add the Pav Bhaji Masala. Saute for a minute till the masala coats the onions and tomatoes.
6. Now add the boiled vegetables and mash them to attain the required consistency. Add salt.
7. You can add the drained water if you don’t like the dry bhaji.

For Paav:

Heat a tava (or a nonstick pan). Cut the Pav horizontally. Add some butter in the tava. Roast both sides as you would do with the chapatis.

While serving:

When serving the bhaji, you can enjoy it with chopped onion and chopped coriander. A dash of lemon would bring out the flavour of the street food….:)….Hope you like it.