Pav Bhaaji

While going through my drafts today, I found that I had not yet posted some of the recipes which I intended to post during my India visit. In an attempt to use the vegetables in my pantry prior to my India visit, I was making something or the other every day. Finally, one of those recipes is seeing the light of the day!

If you have a number of vegetables lying around what could be better than making this famous street food -Pav Bhaaji. It is very popular dish in my house and I make it quite often. I prefer having this bhaaji at home as most of the time the bhaaji served in restaurants in laced with too much oil. You can use store bought buns or these home made buns will go very well too.

Pav Bhaaji is one of the most popular fast food served through out India right from the roadside vendor to the most upscale restaurants. The dish originally hails from the state of Maharashtra, India. It is basically a mixed vegetable potato curry served with pav buns, chopped onions and a lemon wedge.

Serves 4:

4 large potatoes.
1 carrot
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 onion finely chopped.
½ capsicum finely chopped.
½ cup of green peas.
3 tomatoes chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder
3-4 tsp pav bhaaji masala
1 tsp garam masala
2 green chilies chopped finely.
1/4 chopped coriander leaves.
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing.
½ tsp grated ginger.
2 cloves garlic chopped
Salt to taste.
Water as required
1 lemon
2-3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter.

Procedure:

1. Boil the potatoes. Once they are cool enough peel the skin off and mash them into a smooth mixture. Set aside
2. Pressure cook carrot and cauliflower till one whistle. When cool enough churn it in the mixer (not into a smooth paste but somewhat chunky).
3. Heat a frying pan. Add oil. When heated add the chopped chilies, chopped garlic and grated ginger. Stir for a few seconds. Then add the chopped onions. Sautee for 2-3 mins till the onion is slightly golden.
4. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it melts into a liquidy form. Then add the chopped capsicum.
5. Then add the spices, salt and pav bhaaji masala and heat well for 5-7 mins. Keep stirring continuously to prevent it from over burning. The spices on being roasted will give out a nice aroma.
6.Add the cauliflower and carrot mixture, peas and mix well. Heat for 2 minutes. Add mashed potato paste and mix thoroughly. Add water to give it the desired consistency. Heat for 5 mins.

7. Squeeze out juice of one lemon and add to the bhaaji. Add the chopped coriander leaves and stir it nicely. Heat for a few more minutes. Transfer in a serving bowl. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and butter.

Pav:

16 buns.
Butter.

Procedure:

1. Heat a tava. Spread butter on the plain side of buns and heat them on the heated tava.
2. Serve the bhaaji hot with warm pav along with finely chopped onions and a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy! Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Vada Pav ~ The Indian Burger (With home made Pav/Buns)

Vada Pav is a popular road side snack from Maharastra, India. It consists of a batata vada (potato fritter) sandwiched between two slices of a pav/ bun smeared with garlic and green chutney (condiments). I had Vada Pav first time while travelling from Bombay to Pune in a road side dhaba and needless to say I loved it.

My DH had been asking me to make it at home and finally I did. I had made it on the Ind Vs Pak world cup semi final match. Partly because, I wanted to keep myself occupied or else I would be found pacing up and down in front of the TV(I can't handle the excitement and tension of such cricket clashes).

My attempt of making buns at home was a success and I can't help dispalying the pictures. So, this is going to be a long post. I had picked up the recipes from several places and came up with this recipe. Lets have a look.

(Click here for printable version)

Ingredients for Pav/Buns: Adapted from US Masala

2 cup extra strong white flour/AP Flour.

1/2 tsp salt.

1 tbsp sugar.

11/2 tsp instant dried yeast.

1 1/2 tbsp melted butter.

3/4 cup +2-3 tbsp warm milk.

1 tbsp milk for brushing the buns

1 tbsp melted butter for brushing.

Process:

1. In a medium bowl add the sugar and hand hot milk. Stir and add the dried yeast. Sprinkle 1 tsp flour over it. Cover it and let it sit for 10 minutes. It will become frothy and ready for use.
2. In a separate large bowl shift the flour and salt and make  a well in the centre. Add the butter to the frothy mixture and add it to the flour little by little. Use your hands to bring the flour together to make a dough. Add the extra milk to form a sticky dough.
3. Apply some butter on your palms and bring the dough on a light floured surface. Knead the dough by stretching it at one end and bringing it back till the dough is smooth and springs back when touched.
4. Keep the dough in a clean greased bowl and apply some butter over it to prevent the top of the dough from drying. Cover it with a wet kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place to rise for about 1-2 hours.
5. After the first rise, gently deflate the dough by punching it and knead ofr another 2-3 minutes. Divide it into 9 balls and keep them in a greased tray. Cover it with a wet kitchen towl and keep it in a warm place for the second rising for an hour. 
6. After an hour when the dough has risen again, brush milk on the top of the buns and bake it in an oven preheated at 180 C for 12-15 minutes. Brush melted butter when it comes out of the oven.

In the pictures above first one is the dough kneaded and ready for the first rise. Second one is the risen dough followed by 9 dough balls ready for the second rising. Last one is the buns out of the oven with butter brushed on top. You can see the texture inside the buns in the picture below.

Ingredients for the vadas : Adapted from Tarla Dalal

Makes 8 vadas

4 medium sized or 8 small potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli finely chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds.

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp finely chopped onion

4-5 curry leaves.

A pinch of asafeotida

1 tsp turmeric powder.

Handful of chopped coriander leaves.

1 tbsp oil.

For Vada outer coating:

1/2 cup besan flour

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp rice flour

a pinch of baking soda.

a pinch of turmeric powder

1 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Process:

1. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
2. Add the ginger garlic mixture, chopped onions and chopped chillies and sauté again for a few seconds. Add the potatoes, turmeric powder, chopped coriander and salt and mix well.
3.  Remove from the heat and cool. Divide into 8 equal portions. Shape into rounds. 4.
4. Combine all the ingredients for the outer covering in a bowl and make a batter using approximately 1/3 cup of water.
5. Dip each round of the vada filling into the batter and allow it to coat the mixture well .
6. Deep fry in hot oil, till golden brown. Keep them on a kitchen towel so that it absorbs extra oil.

Red Garlic Chutney: Adapted from Sharmis Passions

1/4 cup dessicated coconut

2 dried whole red chillies

2 tsp red chilli power (optional)

4 garlic chopped finely

1 tsp tamarind paste 

Salt to taste

Process:

Dry roast coconut and tamarind till lightly browned. Grind together with all other ingredients. Do not add water.

Green Chutney:

2 cup chopped coriander leaves.
1 cup chopped mint leaves.
2 green chillies.
1 tsp cumin seeds.
2 inch ginger piece, peeled
Salt to taste.
Lemon juice as needed.

Process:

1. Add all the ingredients in a grinder and make a paste. Add water as little as possible.
2. Add lemon juice to taste just before serving.

It can be stored for weeks  in freezer without adding the lemon juice. I store it in my ice cube tray and use cubes of chutney whenever required. Generally, I microwave two cubes of chutney on medium high for 30 seconds and its ready to use.

Assembling the Vada Pav:

1. Cut the bun into two halves. Butter them and toast them on a pan.

2. Smear  the chutneys on each side. Place the warm vada on one half and cover it with the other. Ready to serve.

Enjoy!

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