Pav Bhaji
Chai, Chaat & Chutney
Posted by Octopus Publishing
About
Serves 4
This is another very popular dish from Mumbai, which is
now found across India. My version is simple and healthy,
but there are many other ways you could make it. When eaten
on the streets, what makes this dish amazing is all the extra
butter they put on the pav and bhaji, but I have tried to
keep this to a minimum.
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You Will Need (16 things)
-
For the bhaji
- 2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
- 1 tbsp Salted Butter , plus extra as desired
- 1 Onion , finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes , finely chopped
- ¼ Cauliflower (about 5–6 florets), grated
- 1 Green Pepper , finely chopped
- 600 ml (20fl oz) Water
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala (see below)
- 5 Floury Potatoes , boiled, peeled and grated
- Handful of fresh Coriander , finely chopped
-
To serve
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 4 Small soft Bread Rolls (pav), split horizontally
- Lime wedges
Steps (3 steps, 60 minutes)
-
1
To make the bhaji, heat
the oil and butter in a wide
saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook
for about 5 minutes, until it
begins to soften. Stir in the
tomatoes, grated cauliflower,
green pepper and 250ml
(8fl oz) of the measured water.
Bring to a boil, then cover
the pan with a lid and cook
for 20 minutes, until the
vegetables are cooked.
Stir the salt and Pav Bhaji
Masala into the pan and
cook for 2 minutes, until
well combined. Now stir in
the grated potatoes and the
remaining 350ml (12fl oz)
measured water and cook
for 10–12 minutes, until
everything is cooked through. -
2
Use a potato masher to mash
the whole mixture while it is
still in the pan, then cook for
a final 2 minutes. Sprinkle over
the coriander and as much
extra butter as you would like
and keep hot.
To serve, melt 1 tablespoon
of the butter in a frying pan
over medium heat. Put the
2 halves of 1 bread roll into
the pan. Cook for 1 minute
on each side, then remove
from the pan. Repeat with the
remaining rolls and butter.
Serve the rolls with the
piping-hot bhaji and lime
wedges for squeezing over. -
3
PAV BHAJI MASALA
This spice blend is the key to producing great Pav Bhaji
(see page 130) of distinct flavour. It combines some of the basic
spices used in Indian cookery, but it’s the specific quantities
of these spices that make it so different to other masalas.
Try it in other dishes using lentils and meat, too.2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 dried red chillies
seeds from 4 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole mace
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon mango powder
(amchur)Heat a dry frying pan over
low heat. Add the coriander,
fennel and cumin seeds along
with the peppercorns, chillies,
cardamom seeds, cloves,
cinnamon and mace and toast
for a few minutes, stirring
occasionally, until the spices
begin to change colour.
Take the frying pan off the
heat. Stir in the turmeric and
mango powder, mix well and
leave to cool.
Transfer the mixture to a
spice grinder and process
the mixture to a fine powder.
Transfer the spice blend to a
clean, dry jar and store in a
cool, dark place. Use within
6 months.