Alright, let’s get this straight, you wanna learn how to make some quick and easy pav bhaji, huh? It ain’t rocket science, I tell ya. My grandma used to make this, and her grandma before her, so you know it’s gotta be good and simple.
First off, what the heck is pav bhaji anyway? Well, “pav” is just bread, you know, like those little dinner rolls. And “bhaji”? That’s just a fancy word for a mess of vegetables all cooked up together. Some folks say street vendors came up with it, for workers who wanted somethin’ quick and easy for lunch, not all that heavy Indian food. Makes sense to me, good food don’t gotta be complicated.
Okay, so here’s what you gotta do. Don’t go gettin’ all fancy on me, we’re keepin’ it simple. You need some potatoes, yeah, the regular kind. And some cauliflower, the white stuff that looks like a brain. Chop ‘em up, not too big, not too small, you know, just right. And some peas, the green ones. You can use fresh, or frozen, whatever you got. I usually just grab a bag of frozen, easier that way.
Now, for the flavor, you need some onions, gotta chop those up too. And some tomatoes, same thing, chop ‘em up. And some ginger and garlic, smashed up good. You can use a grater, if you got one, but I just smash ‘em with the back of a spoon. Works just fine.
- Potatoes – Couple of big ones, chopped up.
- Cauliflower – Half a head, chopped up too.
- Peas – A cup or so, fresh or frozen.
- Onions – One big one, or two small ones, chopped.
- Tomatoes – Two or three, chopped.
- Ginger and Garlic – A thumb-sized piece of ginger and a few cloves of garlic, smashed.
Alright, got all that chopped up? Good. Now, get yourself a big pan, or a pot, whatever you got. Put some oil in it, yeah, just regular cooking oil. And heat it up. Not too hot, you don’t wanna burn nothin’. Then throw in the onions and cook ‘em ‘til they get soft and kinda see-through. Then throw in the ginger and garlic, cook it for a minute or two, ‘til you can smell it. Smells good, right? That’s how you know it’s workin’.
Next, dump in the tomatoes and cook ‘em ‘til they get all mushy. Then add the potatoes and cauliflower and peas. And some water, just enough to cover the veggies. And some salt, don’t forget the salt! And some spices. Now, here’s where some folks get all fancy. They use somethin’ called “pav bhaji masala,” but I ain’t got time for that. I just use some garam masala, a bit of coriander powder, and a pinch of red chili powder. You can use more if you like it spicy. Mix it all up good.
Now, you gotta let it cook. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer. Simmer means it’s bubblin’ a little bit, not boinin’ like crazy. Let it simmer ‘til the potatoes and cauliflower are nice and soft. You can poke ‘em with a fork to check. If they’re soft, they’re ready.
Once everything’s cooked, you gotta mash it up. You can use a potato masher, if you got one. Or a big fork, that works too. Just mash it up ‘til it’s kinda thick and creamy. If it’s too thick, add a little water. If it’s too watery, cook it a little longer. It ain’t rocket science, remember?
Now, for the pav, the bread. You can just heat it up in the oven, or in a pan. I like to put a little butter in the pan, makes it taste better. Just heat it up ‘til it’s warm and soft.
And that’s it! You got yourself some quick and easy pav bhaji. Spoon the bhaji into a bowl, put some butter on the pav, and eat it up. It’s good, filling, and it didn’t take all day to make. See? Easy peasy. Some folks like a little bit of lemon juice squeezed on top, and maybe some chopped onions. You can do that too, if you want. But it’s good just the way it is, trust me.
And if you want that bright red color, like they get at the restaurants, well, I don’t know about that. They probably use some kinda fancy stuff, or food coloring. I just stick to the natural stuff. Tastes better that way, anyhow.
So there you have it, my simple pav bhaji recipe. Now go on and make some, your belly will thank you. And if you don’t have some of the spices, don’t you worry none, just use what you got. Cooking ain’t about following rules, it’s about making something tasty with what you have. You remember that, okay?
Tags: quick pav bhaji, easy pav bhaji, simple recipe, indian food, vegetable dish, quick dinner, easy meal, homemade pav bhaji, street food