PAV BHAJI

Our good old famous pav bhaji is here. I like to eat the pav bhaji made in Maharashtra and I have tried to replicate the same taste. You will like this so much that I bet you will be left licking your fingers. I often end up eating one bowl of just bhaji in the end. Here, the recipe I have added is the traditional way, but in tips in the end you can find a healthier twist which tastes exactly the same. Outside vendors usually add artificial colours or tari which contains lot of oil. I have a very easy and healthy way to get that beautiful colour naturally, keep reading. You can adjust the spice level according to your taste. Making of pav bhaji masala to come soon, right now this recipe uses readymade masala.

No of servings - 2

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 30 mins

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 2

Onions -3

Potatoes - 3, medium

Cauliflower - 4 to 5 florets

Capsicum - 1/2 cup

Beetroot - small to medium

Green peas (Fresh, frozen or soaked) - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Pav bhaji masala - 1 tsp or as per taste

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves

Jeera - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - handful

Lemon - 1

Oil - 2 tbsp

Butter as desired

Sugar - a pinch

Salt to taste

Steps for preparation

1. Cut the beetroot in any desired shape and add sufficient water and boil it for 10 mins. Keep aside the boiled water, beetroot can be used for other purposes. Alternatively, when you cook beetroot you can save the water and refrigerate, it will stay for 10 days easily.

2. Cut cauliflower and capsicum in small pieces, cut each potato in 4 parts and boil all vegetables including peas in pressure cooker.

3. In parallel, add 1 tsp of oil in a pan, cut 2 onions in big dices and add it after oil heats. Cook the onions until it's translucent and add tomatoes cut in dices to it and continue stirring until tomatoes become soft.

4. After the above mixture cools down, blend it well in a mixer and keep aside.

5. After the vegetables cool down a bit, remove skin of potatoes and mash them when they are warm (so that it gets mashed soon). Add other vegetables to the mashed potatoes and mash them well too.

6. Peel and cut or crush garlic and keep aside.

7. Add 1 tbsp of oil and a dollop of butter in the same or a different pan. Add 1 tsp of jeera to it, after the oil heats add garlic paste and mix well.

8. Now add the onion tomato mixture and stir well. While it cooks, add all masala like chilli powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala, garam masala, coriander powder, sugar and salt.

9. Now add the beetroot water and mix well. It's time to add mashed vegetables now. Mix well with the masala base and close the lid and let it cook for 5 to 10 mins while stirring occasionally.

10. Put coriander leaves and squeeze at least half a lemon and mix well.

11. Cut 1 onion as small as possible and add it on bhaji while serving.

Tips:

1. You can use beetroot puree instead of beetroot water. 

2. You can add beans and carrot to make it more healthy.

3. Sweet potato can be used by reducing quantity of potatoes.