Bombay Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a spicy chaat originated from Maharashtra and famous in Mumbai but thoroughly relished in all parts of India. Though it technically falls under the chaat category, we can have it happily for a healthy meal slightly mellowing down on the butter and spices; it makes a wholesome meal with plenty of vegetables and bread to compliment.  Pav bhaji initially seemed to have been invented for the mill workers to enable them to finish lunch quicker in a short break’s time; pav (the bun) replaced rotis and side dishes amalgamated into a single curry called bhaji. Bhaji is simply the blend of lot many vegetables and condiments while pav can be made at home or be store bought.

Serves: 2-4

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Pav (Buns) – 2 packs of 4

2.    Potato – 2

3.    Tomato – 4

4.    Carrot – 2

5.     Beans – 10

6.    Green peas – 1 cup shelled

7.     Capsicum – 1

8.    Cauliflower florets – 1 cup (if in season)

9.    Onion – 2

10.            Green chili – 1

11.   Lemon – 1

12.Coriander leaves chopped – 2 tbsp

13.Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

14.Pav bhaji masala – 3 tbsp

15. Chili powder – 1 tsp

16.Salt to taste

17. Butter – 3 tbsp

18.Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

19. Sugar – 1 tsp

Method:

Step 1: Boil the potatoes, peel and mash them.

Step 2: Chop the carrots, beans, cauliflower roughly and blanch them till soft.

Step 3: Chop finely one large onion, tomatoes, capsicum and green chili.

Step 4: Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a pan and splutter cumin seeds in it; add ginger garlic paste, green chili, onion and sauté until soft. Add tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Step 5: Mash the tomatoes and onion with a potato masher and add capsicum to it. Sauté for 3 minutes and again mash the mixture.
Step 6: Add the mashed potatoes and other vegetables into the pan and keep mashing and cooking until all vegetables become unrecognizable (Some people even puree it, but mashing is the typical roadside recipe of bhaji).

Step 6: Now add pav bhaji masala, chili powder, salt as per taste, sugar,  another blob of butter and mix well to cook in simmer for 5 more minutes.

Step 7: Chop coriander, one onion and cut lemon into 8 pieces.

Step 8: Garnish with chopped onion & coriander; serve along with buttered and roasted pav and lemon.

TIPS:

*The bhaji flavour is lifted mainly by the pav bhaji masala and so pick a fresh and good one from store, I use ‘Everest’.

*If pav buns are not available the bhaji goes equally well with normal bread slices; particularly people who avoid maida can relish with wheat breads or multi grain breads.

*Yellow peas can be soaked overnight, boiled and be used in place of green peas; that gives a slightly different taste but that is very good too.

*Variety of other vegetables can be camouflaged by this recipe to feed it to cranky kids and grown-ups; I add beetroot and Brinjal.

*Roadside recipe includes a bit of color to give that red attraction.

Cornmeal Porridge

Cornmeal porridge is a simple healthy Jamaican recipe that I tried for breakfast today. Eating cereals every day has become the most preferred first meal for its ease of preparation and nutrient richness;  porridge is the next common dish and cornmeal porridge offers another good choice in this category. My husband liked this though I personally felt that it tasted bit like a baby food - smooth and sweet.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: Nil

Cooking Time:  10 min

Ingredients:

1.       Cornmeal – 1 cup

2.      Milk – 2 cups

3.      Water – 2 cups

4.      Salt – 1 pinch

5.      Sweetened condensed milk -  4 tbsp (can be replaced with sugar)

6.      Nutmeg grated – 1 pinch

7.      Cinnamon powder – 1 pinch

8.     Vanilla essence – 4 drops

Method:

Step 1: Mix cornmeal with water and bring it to boil with a pinch of salt.

Step 2: Add milk and boil in simmer by stirring continuously.

Step 3: Spoon in the condensed milk or sugar and mix well.

Step 4: Sprinkle nutmeg powder, cinnamon powder and drop in vanilla essence; mix well and turn off heat.

Step 5: Serve hot garnished with cinnamon powder.

TIPS:

* I had used the corn puttu flour that I had at home. A coarse cornmeal is generally flavorful.

Fresh Pigeon Peas (Tur Beans) Gravy

I had bought some tur-beans (fresh tur dal) l from Bangalore when I visited my sister last time. I peeled them and froze them but forgot it for a couple of months; yesterday I tried this simple gravy to pack for lunch along with phulkas. I prepared pulpy gravy that suited the beans very well. He said it tasted like green peas subji; maybe we can try some more green peas-recipes with this beans.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1.      Fresh peeled tur dal – 1 ½ cups

2.    Tomato – 3

3.    Onion – 2

4.    Green chili – 1

5.     Ginger – 1“ piece

6.    Garlic – 3 cloves

7.     Oil – 1 tbsp

8.    Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

9.    Red chili powder – 1 tsp

10.Garam masala – ½ tsp

11.  Coriander powder – ½ tsp

12. Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Chop one onion and one tomato; grind together two tomatoes, one onion, green chili, ginger & garlic into a fine paste.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds and sauté chopped onion and then tomato until soft.

Step 3: Add and sauté the ground paste in it until the oil separates.

Step 4: Put the dry masala powders and fry for a minute; pour two cups of water and let it come to a boil.

Step 5: Add the tur dal, enough salt and mix well; cook covered in simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Open the lid, check if dal is cooked, adjust salt and spices and cook it open for 2 minutes and then turn of stove.

Step 7: Serve garnished with coriander or fresh cream to accompany phulkas or rice.