Bombay Style Masala Pav Bhaji with TLC

India's greatest street food has got to be Pav Bhaji, hands down. There's just something about pav bhaji, especially the Bombay style Pav Bhaji, that invokes such feelings from within as pride, joy and um hunger. As a matter of fact, pav bhaji is practically the only thing I will order when in Bombay. It's probably not the most healthiest way to go, but I just cannot resist.

Pav Bhaji has always been my favorite. A few years ago, while making it, I burned myself (quite severely). I was over anxious (like I almost always am) and did not wait until all the pressure was released from the pressure cooker. Actually, I forgot to put the black foamy ring around the cooker's top. In any case, I fought with the cooker to get it open and tomatoes, potatoes everything went flying everywhere. Of course, it was BURNING HOT, and I burned my neck and face. I was so scared that I would be scarred for life. Luckily, that was not the case, and even this story did not stop me from making pav bhaji again. It's a true story, and I have learned my lesson. Always, always release the pressure from the cooker completely and secondly, do not rush. Good food takes time and TLC!

So, like I did in my previous post, I normally just stick all the veggies in the pressure cooker. Let them steam, then mash them up and season last. Then, I learned from my oldest sister, Nimisha, to sautee the onions separately. My other sister, Smita, taught me to add carrots to add a little bit of sweetness. So, you see, I have experimented with this dish many times. In this attempt, I am hoping for something different and hopefully I get it right. Here is my version of Masala Pav Bhaji, Bombay style.

1 onion, minced
5 fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 green bell pepper, minced
2 green chilies, minced
1/2 cup peas
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp Everest Pav Bhaji masala (or more per taste)
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 lemon, juiced
Salt to taste
1 tbsp butter/ghee*
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Peel and grate carrots. Peel and chop potatoes. Wash frozen peas. Then pressure cook the potatoes, peas, and shredded carrots with 2 cups water until soft. When cools down and all pressure is released from cooker, open it and mash the veggies. Keep aside. [You can also add eggplant. I think I will try adding it next time.]
2. Heat oil/ghee in pot. Add the onions, minced green chilies and ginger-garlic paste and sautee for few minutes until onions are golden brown. Add the green bell peppers next and cook until soft, roughly 5 minutes.
3. Now add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt. Let the tomatoes cook down until they almost resemble a paste.
4. Next add in the red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, butter* and garam masala and mix. Also add in the boiled and mashed veggies. Mix well and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Have a taste and adjust seasoning per taste. Garnish with the lemon juice and chopped cilantro and serve hot with Masala Pav and a side of onion salad.

* If you use oil to sautee onions in Step 2, then add butter where indicated. I replaced the butter with ghee and added it in Step 2 and skipped the butter where indicated.

I normally make regular buttery and garlicy buns with Pav Bhaji. Today, I decided to try something a little unique and add a sprinkle of pav bhaji masala to the butter/ghee to make Masala Pav.

8 pav buns (the Krystal buns are classic for this)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp butter/ghee
Generous pinch of pav bhaji masala

1. Mix the melted ghee, masala and crushed garlic together.
2. Lather masala butter mixture on the buns.
3. Toast the buns, butter side down on griddle until golden brown. Toast other side.
4. Serve hot with Bombay Style Pav Bhaji.

For the Onion Salad, chop up 1 onion. Mix it well with a splash of lemon juice and cilantro and serve along side Pav Bhaji.

Okay, so the picture above is not my finished product, but we did not have time to take a snapshot before dinner. After the first bite, I was in food heaven. This dish tasted finger licking delicious that there was none leftover- AT ALL! The pav bhaji definitely tasted like restaurant style. Enjoy because I know I will!