Bombay Pav Bhaji- Sukh Sagar, Chowpatty Style

I just made this for lunch and couldn't resist posting this recipe. The best Pav Bhaji I have had is at Sukh Sagar food joint near Chowpatty beach in Mumbai. The flavor and taste of Sukh Sagar's pav bhaji still lingers in my head; No other pav bhaji will do if it is not made like Sukh Sagar's pav bhaji. I have refused to eat my mom's pav bhaji for almost 5 years because I didn't want to mess my memory of how the authentic pav bhaji tastes (Mom's recipe did taste good but it was never the real McCoy). My mother is still annoyed with my aunt for taking me to Sukh Sagar almost every weekend during my summer holidays in Mumbai. Instances of getting better than our mother's prowess at cooking are indeed a set of very sporadic success tales. This is such a tale (my eyes twinkling right now)!

I have used multi-grain buns instead of Pav (APF) as I am being a little health conscious. Click on the HTML below to see how Authentic Pav looks like (most of you should know!)

Pav/Pau/Pao means bread or butter bun rolls. Bhaji means a semi gravy vegetable curry. Toasted Pav in butter with spicy vegetable gravy garnished with onions and tangy lemon juice will no doubt taste out of the world.

I have loads of homework and housework to do and yet, I post this recipe. You guessed it right, I have NAILED THE SUKH SAGAR RECIPE!!! My first Bombay Street food recipe...and I am so mighty proud of it! The next street food to nail would be Elco's Pani Puri in Linking Road. The research is still on.

The Everest Bombay Pav Bhaji Masala does give the authentic flavor and the red color. If the color is not red enough, you could add a pinch red food color. If you don't have Everest Pav Bhaji Masala packet, add these addition masalas with the other masalas listed below.

Everest Bombay Pav Bhaji Masala= 1tsp of amchur, 1/2 tsp of black pepper powder, 1 tsp extra red chilli powder,1/4 tsp of big/black cardamom powder, 1/4 tsp of clove powder and 1/4 tsp of curry leaf powder.

Ingredients for Bhaji:- (serves 3-4 people)
2 cups of diced potatoes (almost 3 large potatoes)
1 cup of peas, beetroot, cauliflower, capsicum and carrots (diced)
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
3 tbl spns of Amul butter (or any salted butter)

Masalas:-
3 green chillies chopped finely
pinch of turmeric
2 tsp of red chilli powder (or more if you want more heat)
1 tbl spn coriander powder
1/2 tsp of fennel powder (sauf powder)
2 tsp of cumin powder
1/4 tsp of garam masala
2 tbl spns of Everest Pav Bhaji Masala
1 tbl spn of ginger-garlic paste
3 tomatoes chopped finely
salt to taste

Method:-
Cook all the vegetables except onions and tomatoes till they get soft in a pressure cooker or steamer.
Heat a wide heavy bottom pan with 2 tbl spns of salted butter (like amul).
Add the chopped onions and fry lightly in low flame for about a min (not more). Do not let them get brown.
Add the green chillies and ginger-garlic paste.
Add all the masalas and chopped tomatoes. Fry for about a min. If the pan gets dry add, then some more butter or oil.
Add 1.5 cups of water and cook till the oil separates. Never let this mixture go dry as it will taste bitter.
Add the cooked vegetables in the pan and mix the gravy.
Mash the veggies with a vegetable masher. Add salt to taste.
Add the coriander leaves and let it cook for about 8-10 in low to medium flame.
Add a dollop of butter and serve hot.

**Bhaji should be a thick gravy (dropping consistency). Add more water if you see it getting too thick while cooking.

Pav and garnishing:-
Toast the pav after smearing salted butter generously on a griddle till it turns light golden brown.
Serve pav with bhaji. Garnish the bhaji with finely chopped onions, some chopped coriander and a small piece of lemon.
Squeeze the juice of the lemon on the bhaji and onions. Scoop the bhaji with a piece toasted pav and relish it.
I am so sure a satisfied "yummmm" will ensue.