Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji is a traditonal Maharashtrian cusine,which is popular all over India.The pav bhaji is a spicy preparation with a mixture of vegetables,either whole or mashed,a generous dose of fresh tomatoes,a dollop of butter,optional.Pav means bread.Bhaji in Marathi means vegetable dish.Pav chaji consisits of bhaji( a thick vegetable based curry) garnished with coriander,chopped onion,and a dash of lemon and lightly toasted pav.The pav is buttered on all sides.I first tasted pav bhaji in Mumbai,when visited my sisters home.It was awesome.It's been 3 years harldy I cook bhaji at home.Last week when I was watching a cookery show tempted much and decided to do that in weekend.Hmm I know it will take more time to cook both for the meal.I prepared pavs in the morning and cooked only bhajji in the evening.in that way we enjoyed pav bhaji for dinner.I followed Vahrehvah recipe.It was awesome ! kids loved to the core.Enjoyed every bite.I'm posting this recipe in BM#52 under the theme Weekend special dinner.Here goes my recipe.

Ingredients for the simple Pav:
Yeilds- 12 to 15 pavs.

• Maida 7 cups small( mine is 160 ml cup)
• Yeast 7 gram
• warm water 31/2 cups
• Butter 7 teaspns
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
• Salt 1 teaspoon.

Procedure:

• Mix yeast and sugar( first mix yeast and sugar then add warm water) in warm water and let it stand for 5 mins,until you see foam in the top or bubbly.
• Then add salt to the flour and mix with yeast mixture until smooth elastic dough for about 10 mins.
• Place bread dough  in a greased bowl and cover,let it rise until double for 1 hr.
• After 1 hour punch down the dough and mix again very well with flour.Make small balls and arrange it on baking sheet sprinkled with flour on the bottom of the sheet.
• Cover and let it rise until doubled around 1 hour.You may coat with egg white or little milk for shine on the top.
• Bake at 400Ffor 20 to 30 mins until the bread is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped inside.
• Remove from the baking sheet and let it cool.Brush with butter or oil

For the Bhaji or curry

• carrots 2 to 3 chopped
• 1/2 cup beans chopped
• 1/4 cup green peas fresh or frozen.
• 2 to 3 medium size potatoes
• 1 cup cauliflower chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 2 large tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 green pepper or capsicum chopped
• 2 tpn of ginger and garlic paste.
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 2 to 3 tbspn of pav bajji masala( store bought)
• 1 tspn of chilli powder
• 1 tspn of cumin seeds
• 1 tspn of turmeric powder
• Grated paneer 2 tbspns
• Butter 2 to 3 tbspn ( preferably amul butter)
• salt to taste

Procedure:

• Boil all vegetables in a pressure cooker except tomatoes,onion and capsicum. Add enough water just to cover veggies.
• Chop onions,green chilli,tomatoes finely and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbspn of butter(  I  love to use amul butter for bajji),when it melts add cumin seeds, chopped onions.
• Fry onions until they are translucent.Then add ginger garlic paste.,saute well till the raw smell goes off.
• Add green chillies,fry well then add chopped tomatoes fry themtill they become soft.Cover with lid let itfry around 8 to 10 mins)
• Now add chopped capsicum saute ew mins  then add turmeric powder,chilli powder,salt,pav bajji masal( I use store bought everest masala).
• Time to add boiled and mashed veggies now.Add mashed veggies and combine well with masala.Add enough water for the curry.
• We can add grated paneer if we want.I added to satisfy my kids tastebuds.Let the curry cooks in medium  to low flame around 10 to 15 mins.Add extra water if it is too dry,cook few  more mins.
• when the curry is done ,can add 1 or 2 tbspn of butter if we want and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.Sprinkle some chopped onions,squeeze little bit lemon juice on top.
• Enjoy lezat bhajji with pav!

Check out for fellow Marathoners in BM#52