MUMBAI PAV BHAJI
Mumbai Pav bhaji is a popular street food snack from Maharashtra. A smooth melange of variety of vegetables cooked in lots of butter and Bombay pav bhaji masala powder, served with buttered pav. This super yummy recipe which will NEVER EVER FAIL, you bet!
What Is Pav Bhaji?
(Pav = Soft buns or dinner rolls, Bhaji = special mixed vegetable gravy)
Pav Bhaji is a very famous Maharashtrian street food that is popular not only in every part of our country but world wide. It is unique and super delicious dish of variety of vegetables that is particularly cooked in butter with special spicy pav bhaji masala.
Quintessentially, it is served with special soft bread called pav. These pavs are toasted in lots of butter and then served with the bhaji which is garnished with butter, onions, lemon wedges and cilantro.
Wiki says, this dish was created to provide fast and filling lunch to the textile mills or factory workers. Then, gradually it gained popularity and was served in restaurants and outlets across the city.
If you visit the streets of Mumbai, you will notice that bhaji is especially made or assembled on a big iron tawa or flat griddle. Although, it is popular all over the country and even overseas, but the authentic and best pav bhaji we get ONLY in Mumbai (Bombay).
I am sharing a small secret that gives this Mumbai pav bhaji recipe, the taste that is exactly like the ones from Juhu Beach or Girgaum Chowpatty. Undeniably, it is the king of fast food dishes in Mumbai.
The colour here in pav bhaji which you see is purely from Kashmiri red chilli powder and not the food colour. However, the street side stalls makes the use of red food colour to brighten the red colour into the dish.
Vegetables That Goes In Pav Bhaji
The bhaji is basically consisting of combination of boiled vegetables, which we cook in butter along with other ingredients.
Significantly, a particular combination of vegetables goes in the making of mumbai pav bhaji recipe. They are potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum and green peas (hari matar).
You may also add some chopped beetroots for the purpose to give deep red colour to the dish. Sometimes, I do consider adding it to the recipe.
But, if you really want to go for more add-ons for a twist, then, consider adding these veggies to bhaji namely carrots, cabbage, bell peppers of any color, french beans, egg plant (Brinjal/Baigan). However, it won’t be an authentic Bombay pav bhaji then, but just a normal bhaaji.
Variations Of Pav Bhaji
Nowadays, adding cheese is also in trend. So, for cheesy twist, just add the grated cheese over the hot bhaji just before serving.
Add grated paneer to the bhaji while cooking as well as while serving. You can use Paneer cubes also.
No Onion No Garlic Pav Bhaji – Though, the onions are one main ingredient that goes in the bhaji recipe, but sattvik bhaji recipe omits the onion and garlic both.
Jain version – No root or tuber vegetables, onion, garlic are added into it. You may find at some places they do add raw banana instead.
Which Is The Best Pav Bhaji Masala To Use?
In the aisle of supermarkets, you will find, wide variety and brands of bhaji masala powder. As it is always important to use best bhaji masala, I have consistently been using Everest brand of pav bhaji masala powder only.
Can We Freeze Bhaji In A Freezer?
Yes, we can freeze it in a freezer easily for 2 months. To freeze the bhaji, store it in a clean air tight container and freeze. Whenever you want to serve it, just thaw it on a counter for few hours.
Then, reheat it with some butter, kasuri methi and pav bhaji masala powder or red chilli powder. You are good to go.
How To Serve Pav Bhaji?
First, slit the pav/pao (soft bread rolls/buns). Then, heat the tawa or a pan and melt butter on it. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala (optional step). Then fry the pav or buns from both the sides.
Dish out the bhaji in a bowl, top it with the blob of a butter. Sprinkle chopped onions, coriander leaves on the top. Squeeze lemon generoulsy on the bhaji and enjoy it with buttered pav.
Cre: Cubes n Julienne
