Khada Pav-Bhaji

As the year comes to an end, I would like to thank all my blog visitors and followers for their continuous appreciation. New Year is the time to unfold new horizons & realize new dreams, to rediscover the strength & faith within you, to rejoice in simple pleasures & gear up for new challenges. I wish you all a truly fulfilling 2012.  A VERY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!

And lastly, I would like to end this year with a spicy and mouth-watering dish, Khada Pav-Bhaji. Pav-bhaji is a very famous street food in Mumbai. It is also available in different forms, Cheese Pav-Bhaji, Mushroom Pav-bhaji, Jain Pav-bhaji and so on. In Khada Pav Bhaji, the vegetables are not mashed and kept whole (or khada). In the original preparation, we normally do not add turmeric powder, tomato puree or vegetable stock. I have added these elements to make the Khada Pav-bhaji a bit more juicy

Ingredients :

For Pav-Bhaji :
5 tbspns oil
3 tbspns butter
1 tbspns garlic paste
1/2 tbspns ginger paste
3 tbspns red chilly paste (as given below)
2 & 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green capsicum
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup parboiled green peas
1/4 cup chopped & parboiled cauliflower
1/2 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1 cup tomato puree 
1 cup vegetable stock (See note below)
2-3 tbspns Pav-bhaji Masala
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped corriander

To make red chilly paste :
18-20 red chillies
Water

For Garnishing :
Chopped Corriander
Chopped onion
Dollop of butter

To serve with :
Finely Chopped onion
Lemon wedge
Buttered Pav (Square Bread)

For Pav :
Square breads 
Butter

Method:

To make Red chilly paste:
Remove seeds from red chillies
Soak it in water for 3-4 hours
Drain out excess water
Transfer it into a blender
Blend it into a smooth paste 

To make Pav-bhaji:
Take oil and butter in a large Wok / pan
Add ginger paste, garlic paste and red chilly paste
Saute it for a minute
Then add chopped onion into the spices
Saute onions for 2 minutes
Then add chopped capsicum
Saute it for 5-6 minutes
Then add chopped tomatoes 
Cook till tomatoes are soft and starts releasing oil
Add Pav-bhaji masala and a pinch of turmeric to the mixture 
Mix it well
Then add green peas, cauliflower and potatoes to it
Subsequently add tomato puree and vegetable stock
Add salt to taste
At the end add dollop of butter and chopped corriander
Serve hot

To pan-fry Pav:
Cut square bread from the centre into two
Heat a large flat pan
Put some butter over the pan
Place sliced square breads on the pan
Turn the flame to medium
Cook the bread by pressing it on the pan
Cook till it is crisp and light brown in colour

Alternatively, apply butter to all the four sides of the square bread
and follow the abovementioned procedure

To serve :
Transfer bhaji into a serving plate
Sprinkle chopped onion and chopped fresh corriander over it
Lastly add a dollop of butter over it
Serve it with pan-fried square breads, lemon wedge and red chutney

Notes :
The above quantity of ingredients yields pav-bhaji for 6 persons
Use of turmeric is optional. 
The water used to boil the vegetables may be used as 'Vegetable stock' in Pav-bhaji

Stepwise Pictures :