Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji can be had as a snack or as a meal. It is a maharashtrian dish and my mother cooks it very well. I got this recipe from her.

Ingredients:

8 pairs of pav
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1/2 cauliflower, chopped
1/2C cabbage, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds (optional)
butter
2 tomatoes
1 big clove of garlic
3 green chilis
handful of cilantro
salt to taste


Method:

1) Steam all the chopped vegetables in a pressure cooker or in a pan with a lid, until they are tender. If steaming in a pressure cooker, turn off the heat after one whistle.

2) After the vegetables are steamed, mash them until they are completely blended.

3) In another saute pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add half the onions and saute until they start turning brown.

4) In a grinder, grind together, tomatoes, garlic, green chilis and cilantro. Add this mixture to the pan and let cook until it starts to leave oil.

4) To this add turmeric powder, salt and chili powder and mix well. After a few seconds, add the mashed vegetables and let them come to a boil.

5) Sprinkle pav bhaji masala and lime juice over the vegetables and mix it well. Add a tbsp of butter if you want to make it richer. Turn off the heat.

6) On a tava apply butter to each pav and cook them on both sides.

7) Garnish the bhaji with some chopped onions on top and serve hot with pav.

Serves: 3-4