Pav Bhaji | How to make Pav Bhaji at home | Snacks Recipes

Pav bhaji is more than a snack always. Mostly it has been our dinner many days. Pav bhaji holds very good memories with me. I was first introduced to this wonderful pav in my college days when I knew nothing about cooking. My best friend and me stayed in a flat instead of college hostel. We did have a cook, but most of the days she wont come and we eat out. During semester, when we feel lazy to cook or go out, we buy pav bhaji and get more bhaji from the shop to eat it with tossed bread in the night.

It is definitely a bliss for hungry people like we gals who skip lunch and crave for something spicy in the evening rains and best climate of coimbatore. Miss coimbatore and its another famous chat roadside kalan.

PAV BHAJI RECIPE

Recipe Category: Snack | North Indian Serves: 4 

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Soaking Time: 1 hour 

Recipe Source: Tarla Dalal  Ingredients: For the bhaji Potatoes 3 boiled and peeled Fresh green peas 1/2 cup | 75 grams Dry green peas 1/4 cup | 40 grams Oil 1 tbsp Butter 2 tbsp Chilli Garlic Paste 2 tbsp Cumin seeds 1 tbsp Capsicum 1 finely chopped Onions 3 medium size, finely chopped Tomatoes 2 finely chopped Chilli Powder 2 tsp Pav bhaji masala 1 1/2 tbsp Water 1/2 cup  Salt As required Coriander 2 tbsp For the Pav Pav buns 8 Butter 8 tsp Pav bhaji masala 1 tsp

Method of Preparation: 

To be soaked:

Soak dry green peas in warm water for one hour. 

For the bhajji:

1. Pressure cook the potatoes, fresh green peas and soaked dry green peas for 3-4 whistles or until soft. Turn off and once the pressure is released, drain water and reserve the stock water. Mash the vegetables well with a potato masher. Keep it aside. In a wide non stick tava or kadhai ,heat the oil and 1 tbsp of butter.Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let it crackle.

2. Add chilli-garlic paste and saute on medium flame for few seconds.Add the chopped capsicum and saute for a minute in medium flame. Add the onions and saute for about 8-10 minutes or until the onions turn slightly brown.

3. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, pav bhajji masala, salt and water. Let it cook on medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till the oil separates, while continuously mashing with the potato masher.

4. Add the mashed vegetables, coriander, stock water and 1 tbsp of butter. Mash it well using a potato masher and cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes, while stirring continuously (as it tries to stick to the tava). Turn Off.

For the pav:

Slit 2 pav vertically and keep aside. Heat a large tava(griddle), add 2 tsp of butter and sprinkle little pav bhajji masala, mix it well and place the pav on it. Cook on a medium flame till they turn brown and crisp on both the sides. (Add more butter if required).

To serve:

Place the pav buns, bhaji garnished with butter and finely chopped coriander leaves, lots of chopped onions and lemon slices. 

Notes:

• Pav bhaji masala is available in different brand names at most grocery stores. 
• For a healthier version, you can also add carrots, beans and cauliflower to the vegetables.
• Instead of pav buns, you can serve this with breads and dosa.
• VARIATIONS: Cheese Pav Bhaji: Add lots of grated cheese to the prepared pav bhaji and serve immediately. Khada Pav Bhaji: Dont mash the vegetables and cut it in big cubes and make the bhaji. 
• For Chilli Garlic Paste you can find the post here. 

Lets enjoy the pav with lots of butter and the crunchy onions!!!