When the monsoon rain sets the mood for something spicy and hot, few dishes match up to pav bhaji. This popular street food from Maharashtra is now loved across the country, made by cooking mixed vegetables into a spiced mash and pairing it with soft pav toasted in butter. Along with being delicious, it is also considered fairly nutritious since it packs in several vegetables in a single serving. If you want to recreate that street stall flavour at home, here is a step by step way to make it.
Boiling and mashing the vegetables
Start by pressure cooking potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and peas together for 2-3 whistles. Once the vegetables turn completely soft, mash them thoroughly using a masher or the back of a spoon so the bhaji has a smooth base.
Cooking the spiced bhaji
Heat oil and butter together in a large pan or kadhai. Add finely chopped onion and saute until it turns golden, then stir in ginger garlic paste and cook for a minute. Add chopped capsicum and cook for 2-3 minutes. Next, add chopped tomatoes and let them cook until soft. Once the tomatoes break down well, add turmeric, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and salt, mixing the spices in thoroughly. Now add the mashed vegetables, pour in a little water and cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes. Keep pressing the bhaji with the masher at intervals during this time so the texture stays completely smooth. Once the bhaji turns thick and well spiced, add a little more butter on top along with finely chopped coriander leaves, then keep it warm on low flame.
Toasting the pav
Once the bhaji is ready, move on to the pav. Heat a tawa and add a little butter to it, then sprinkle a pinch of pav bhaji masala over the butter. Slit the pav buns from the middle and toast them on both sides on the tawa until they turn golden and crisp.
Serving it up right
Transfer the hot bhaji to a plate and place a small cube of butter on top, followed by a sprinkle of finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve alongside lemon wedges and finely chopped onion. Pair the spicy bhaji with the hot, butter toasted pav and enjoy the full flavour of the monsoon season.
