Pav Bhaji – Village Style

Step 1: Wash and Prepare Vegetables

Thoroughly wash the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and coriander leaves with fresh water.

Step 2: Boil the Potatoes

In a large pot, add water, the washed potatoes, and a generous amount of crystal salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft and fully cooked.

Step 3: Chop and Grind

While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop the tomatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel the skin and mash them thoroughly. Grind the chopped tomatoes into a smooth puree using a stone grinder or blender.

Step 4: Prepare the Spices

In a pan over a fire, dry roast a mix of whole spices including cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, cumin, star anise, cardamom, and black pepper. Once aromatic, grind them into a fine garam masala powder. Separately, grind soaked dried red chilies into a smooth paste.

Step 5: Start Cooking the Bhaji

Place a large tawa over the fire. Add several large blocks of butter and let them melt. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.

Step 6: Sauté Vegetables

Add a large quantity of finely chopped onions to the melted butter and sauté until they become soft. Then, add finely chopped carrots, capsicum, and green peas. Mix well and continue to sauté.

Step 7: Combine Ingredients

Add the hand-ground ginger-garlic paste and mix. Follow with the mashed potatoes and the tomato puree. Combine everything on the tawa.

Step 8: Add Spices and Mash

Add the hand-ground chili paste, hand-ground garam masala, chaat masala, and crystal salt to the mixture. Using potato mashers, thoroughly mix and mash all the ingredients together until it forms a cohesive, thick bhaji.

Step 9: Garnish and Finish

Add freshly chopped coriander leaves to the bhaji. Make a well in the center, add another block of butter, let it melt, and mix it into the bhaji for extra richness.

Step 10: Toast the Pav

In the pool of melted butter in the center of the tawa, place sliced pav buns. Toast them on both sides until golden, ensuring they soak up the butter and some of the surrounding masala.

Step 11: Assemble and Serve

Once the pav is toasted, place a scoop of the bhaji between the two halves of the pav. Serve hot.

• Using a large, flat pan (tawa) is traditional for making the bhaji.

• Mashing the vegetables thoroughly is key to achieving the right texture.

• Be generous with butter for the authentic street-food flavor.

• Freshly grinding the spices enhances the aroma and taste of the dish.

• Add cheese on top for Cheese Pav Bhaji.

• Include other vegetables like cauliflower or beetroot.