This recipe has a lot of nostalgia attached to it for me. As a child, I was a fussy eater. My mom used to make this recipe with all kinds of veggies in it (even the ones that don’t go in Pav Bhaji) and I used to love it. This is the reason my recipe still has beetroot in it.
Ingredients
- For the Bhaji (Base)
- 4 Medium Size Potatoes
- 1 Medium Size Carrot
- 1 Small Cauliflower
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Cup Peas
- 2 Medium Beetroot (For Color Optional)
- 1 Tsp Salt
- For the Tadka
- 1 Tsp Jeera
- 1 Tsp Oil
- 100g Salted Butter
- 4 Large Tomatoes
- 2 Medium Onions
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 Tbsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 3 Tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
- Salt
Preparation
Prep: 15 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes
- Cut large pieces of potatoes, cauliflower, bell pepper, beetroot and carrots and add to a pressure cooker along with peas.
- Add water and salt to the vegetables and let it pressure cook. Switch off the flame after 4-5 whistles.
- Drain the excess water and mash the vegetables to a porridge consistency. Do not throw away the water.
- Add oil to a pan and add 3 cubes of butter. Add Jeera and ginger garlic paste to the pan.
- Now add finely chopped onions and stir it till it’s golden brown. Add finely chopped tomatoes to the mixture and stir it continuously for 4-5 minutes.
- Add Kashmiri Mirchi powder and mix well. Keep adding little water to get the mixture to a paste-like consistency.
- Once the mixture starts losing water, add a few more cubes of butter.
- Add turmeric powder, salt and half of the pav bhaji masala and mix well.
- Add the Vegetable mixture to the masala and mix well.
- Add the remaining Pav bhaji masala and check the consistency of your pav bhaji.
- Add the rest of the butter and the water we kept aside earlier and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve this bhaji with lightly butter Pav, raw onions and lemon.
