In the first two weeks of Ramadan we were busy spring cleaning our house of all unused items, clothes and other stuff we didn’t need and Little A chose to keep his favorite set of toys and giveaway those he doesn’t play with or have the parts missing. We were late this year but there were two reasons for this major clean-up – one being our yearly contribution for Ramadan and the other is the primary make-over of our house that was pending from a long long time! After long shopping hours, cleaning the paint mess and moving the furniture from one side of the house to another, we are super proud of this new feat.
Amidst all the clamor one weekend, the best I could do for lunch was to cook our favorite Pav Bhaji – an Indian vegetarian dish packed with the goodness of many veggies that can be easily fed to children which otherwise they are skeptical of eating. Usually Pav Bhaji is slow cooked and mashed on a large griddle if you drift around Juhu Beach, Chowpatty or on the street side corners of Bombay that is reminiscent of the entire city. Spending a major chunk of my childhood in Hyderabad, the concept of Pav Bhaji was new for me as well as exciting at the same time. We’d usually eat on a mat spread over the wet sand at the open Juhu beach with my aunt and cousins on our usual weekend trip. Each vendor in the row hustle through every order and serve crisp buttered pavs (bread like in picture above) to every guest while their huge tawas ( a flat cast iron pan) sizzle soft boiled vegetables in butter. Long spoons are used to scrape and fill the plates laboriously from dusk until the late midnight catering to many college-goers, executives, families, and alike – the whole scene perpetually etched in my memories that I keep falling back on everytime I cook this dish at home.
As I grew up, a couple of places to fetch a delicious plate of Pav Bhaji became my favorite – Amar Juice Centre in Vile Parle, major reason for me to catch up with my sister and friends outside Mithibai College; and Sardar Pav Bhaji at Tardeo (South Bombay) was another famous one when having a big block of Amul Butter in the bhaji was a fad. Always followed by a paan just at the border of the entrance of the restaurant. Many plates were had in frequent visits and abundant memories pulled along of this glorious complete Indian meal.
Pav Bhaji
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients :
- Potatoes – 4, cubed
- French beans – 1/2 cup, chopped
- Cauliflower florets – 1 cup
- Carrots – 2, chopped
- Green peas – 1 cup
- Capsicum – 1
- Onions – 4, finely chopped
- Tomatoes – 3, chopped
- Pav Bhaji Masala – 2 tbsp
- Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
- Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 2 tsp
- Cumin powder – 2 tsp
- salt to taste
- Coriander leaves – 1 cup, chopped
- Vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp
- Butter – 100 gms
Method – In a pressure cooker, heat oil and saute onions with garlic paste till translucent. Add the spices and saute on medium heat for two minutes more. Cook tomatoes with onions till they turn mushy and the oil start leaving from the corners. Add all the vegetables and mix everything in till they are covered in spices. Add 2 cups of water and allow to cook in a pressure cooker for upto 3-4 whistles. Once the steam has released, place the pan back on medium heat. Simmer till it reaches a thick consistency sauce and mash the vegetables with help of a potato masher. Add half of the butter. Stir till everything is mixed together and check for seasonings. It should be little spicy and tangy. For serving – slit open the pavs (breads) horizontally. Add a tsp of butter in a hot flat pan and toast till the bread is crisp and golden. To serve, place bhaji in a bowl, and garnish with a dollop of butter, coriander and onions.
