Pav Bhaji recipe: A step-by-step guide to make this mouth-watering snack at home

Pav Bhaji is a popular Indian fast food that consists of spicy mix-vegetable gravy. It is traditionally prepared with boiled vegetables, cooked with spices and served with pav. Here is an easy step-by-step recipe of pav-bhaji you can try at home:

Serving - 4 

Time - 45 to 60 minutes

Ingredients for Pav-Bhaji Masala

There are several packaged Pav-Bhaji masala available in the market. You can also prepare it at home by drying and roasting the following ingredients. After mixing the required amount of masala, you can keep the rest of it in an air-tight jar for further use. 
Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
Black Cardamom - 1
Cumin - 1 tbsp
Pepper Corn - 1 tea-spoon
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chillies - 3
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 3 to 4 
Amchur - 1/2 tbsp

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Ingredients for Bhaji

Diced Potatoes - 1 Cup
Green Peas - 3/4 Cup
Cauliflower - 1 Cup
Capsicum - 1/2 Cup
Onion - 3/4 Cup (Finely chopped)
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tea-spoon
Green Chillies - 1 chopped 
Tomato - 2 (medium chopped)
Coriander leaves- finely chopped
Oil and Butter - 1 tbsp each
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 to 3/4 
Turmeric - 1/4 tea-spoon
Kasuri Methi - 3/4 tea-spoon
Salt - 1/2 tea-spoon or according to the taste

Butter - 1 packet (for toasting pav)

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Preparation of  Pav Bhaji 

Add cauliflower, potatoes, and green peas in a pan and start boiling them. You can boil them in a pressure cooker too. After two whistles, open the lid and mash them well in a container. Before mashing, check if they are tender and if not, boil it until its texture is soft. 

Step by step making of Bhaji

Heat oil and butter in a pan. Once it gets warm, add finely chopped onions. Fry them till they turn transparent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste with 1 chopped green chilli. Once the mixture becomes fragrant, add capsicum and saute it for a while. Next, add tomatoes and salt. Let the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. 

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To spice up the gravy, mix chilli powder and 1 tbsp pav-bhaji masala powder. Mix and fry for another two minutes. Check if the raw smell of the mixture has gone. Later, mix boiled and mashed veggies. Pour water to bring consistency. Cook the gravy for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens. Add Kasuri methi, if using. Cook it until the bhaji reaches to the desired consistency.

Prepare Pav

Slit the pav horizontally leaving one edge intact. Heat butter on a pan and simultaneously sprinkle some masala on the open buns. Place the pav on the pan and roast them for a while. Now garnish the bhaji with onions, butter, coriander leaves and lemon juice.

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