Pav Bhaji Recipe (Mumbai Roadside Pav Bhaji)

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli, deseeded
• 8 to 10 garlic (lehsun) cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped capsicum
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomato
• 1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1/2 cup boiled and mashed green peas
• 1 1/2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
• 8 ladi pav
• 8 tsp butter for cooking
• 1 tsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 lemon wedge
• 4 roasted papad
• 4 tsp butter
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Steps

1. Soak the red chillies in enough warm water for atleast an hour.
2. Drain the chillies, add the garlic and blend in a mixer till smooth, adding little water. Keep aside.
3. Heat the butter and oil in a kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
4. When the seeds crackle, add the chilli-garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
6. Add the capsicum and sauté for 1 more minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, mash well using a potato masher.
8. Add the salt, pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
9. Add the green peas, potatoes, mix well and cook along with 1 cup of water for 1 to 2 minutes, while mashing it with the help of a masher.
10. Add the coriander, mix well and cook for 1 minute.
11. Slit 2 pavs vertically and keep aside.
12. Heat a large tava, add 2 tsp of butter, ¼ tsp pav bhaji masala, mix well and place the slit open the pavs on it.
13. Cook on a medium flame till they turn light brown and crisp on both the sides. (add more butter if required).
14. To serve pav bhaji, place ¼th of hot bhaji, 2 pavs, ¼ cup of onions, a lemon wedge and a papad on a plate.
15. Top the bhaji with 1 tsp of butter and serve immediately garnished with 1 tsp of coriander.
16. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more plates of pav bhaji.
17. Pav bhaji masala is a spice blend, which is readily available under different brand names at most grocery stores.