Pav Bhaji : A popular street food

Pav Bhaji is one of the most famous and commonly available street food in India, especially in aamchi Mumbai. It is known for its aromatic, chat-pati (fine blend of spices) taste, and is also an easy to make dish. Definitely a winner across ages right from kids to elderly, and a food at easy reach for a common man.

Its a simple bun had with a tasty vegetable preparation along with onions, lemon, and if you like it a green chillie along with hot tea! Dish can be cooked in 15-20 mts.

Pav Bhaji can easily figure in your choice for breakfast, evening snacks, for a get together, or at times for dinner as well. (For most this is a staple food through the day)

Pav Bhaji Masala: This can be powdered and stored in air-tight container like any other masala powders.

Ingredients:

1. Red Chillies             - 7-8 (as spicy as you need the vegetable preparation)
2. Coriander Seeds      - 4 tspn
3. Cumin Seeds            - 2 tspn
4. Black Pepper           - 1/4 tspn
5. Cinnamon                 - a small piece
6. Clove                       - 2-3
7. Cardamom               - 2 
8. Fennel Seeds            - 1 tspn
9. Turmeric Powder     - a pinch
10. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tspn

Method: Dry roast all ingredients & powder it. 

Bhaji: The vegetable mash that goes along with the Pav.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 4 - Boiled
2. Beans / Carrot / Cauliflower / Green Capsicum / Green Peas - any other vegetable of your choice that will go well with these - Boiled (Quantity of vegies you take will define the quantity of the bhaji. A handful of beans, 1 carrot, a cup of flower, 1 capsicum, and handful of peas would serve 4)
3. Onions - 2 - Nicely chopped
4. Tomatoes - 4 - Nicely chopped
5. Ginger - 1-2 inch piece
6. Garlic - 3-4 pods (or you can use the ginger/garlic paste available readily)
7. Green chillies - 3-4
8. Coriander - to garnish
9. Pav Bhaji Masala - 1-1.5 tspn (the one you prepared)
10. Oil - to cook

Method:

1. Boil all vegetables together with a pinch of salt (including potatoes)
2. Make ginger garlic paste (to have a fresh flavor) or you can use the readily available one
3. In a pan, add oil and 3/4 of the diced onions
4. Fry till they become light brown (to quicken, you can add a pinch of salt)
5. To this, add the ginger garlic paste & green chillies. Fry them for a few seconds
6. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 mts till the oil separates
7. Add other boiled vegetables and stir them by continuously mashing them (this dish is known for its fine mash finish)
8. When the vegetables are well mashed and cooked, add the pav bhaji masala 
9. Add salt to taste
10. Cook on medium heat (if rqd add some water) till the dish is fully done & gets the semi-gravy consistence.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves
12. Serve it hot with the toasted pav

Pav: These are readily available in any bakery as a pack of 4 or 6. Just before you eat, start preparing this because its best served hot / warm.

Ingredients:

1. Pav - 8 (to serve 4 ppl)
2. Butter - 2 tbspn (to fry the pav)
3. Lemon - 1 

Method:

1. Apply butter to the pav & toast them on a tava till they become crispy and browny. If done in large quantities, you can apply butter on the tava and add as many pavs & continue to toss them till all sides are done
2. If the pav are smaller in size you can toast them as is, else preferably we cut the pavs into two & toast them.
3. To serve, on a plate, place the toasted pavs, the bhaji, some onion, lemon slices, and green chillies (if you like it)
4. Best eaten when hot