Pav Bhaji Recipe| Mumbai Street Food | Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

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Pav Bhaji is the famous street food of Mumbai, India. Its popular as quick,delicious and filling meal. Definitely flavorful to satisfy your taste buds yet filling and not very expensive. There are lot of anecdotes how Pav Bhaji came to Mumbai and how it became one of the famous dishes of all times. Apparently Pav bhaji was made for Mill workers as bulk food, which was quick and not very expensive and thus from there slowly slowly it made its impact across the country and now across the globe. I love reading to these food stories, do you ?

So Pav Bhaji was first introduced to me by my mom.. I was a kid back then and it immediately became my favorite food to indulge on. Every other weekend she used to make it just because I love it so much. I can't explain enough how delicious Pav Bhaji my mom makes. Its perfect in color, taste and aroma! I can literally eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner. I of course learnt the recipe from her but today we are going to cheat a little bit and substitute few ingredients. Shhh... Mom doesn't know this! Lets see if anyone finds out whats replaced. Leave me a comment if you try this recipe and if you find out what is substituted!

Also we are going to make it in an Instant pot, hence its a fuss free, easy peasy recipe! Thanks to me later as there wont be lot of dishes to do after that delicious Pav Bhaji lunch / Dinner! Haha, Lets get cooking!

Ingredients:
3/4 of a Cauliflower head
1 Medium sweet Potato
1 Medium Carrot
1 small Brinjal/egg plant
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 cup Green Peas (fresh or Frozen)
1 Large Red Onion
2 Large Fresh Roma Tomatoes
2 TBSP Ginger Garlic Green Chili Paste
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
Salt
Oil
Cilantro
Butter
For Spices ground 1 tsp of each below into fine powder
Roasted Coriander seeds
Roasted Cumin seeds
Red Chilies ( You can use type of chili based on your liking)
Amchur Powder
Fennel seeds
Pepper Corns
cloves
Black Cardomom
If you have ready made Pav Bhaji Masala, you can use that as well.

 

Directions:

  1. Thoroughly rinse and roughly cut all the veggies. Turn on the Instant pot on Pressure Cook setting for 9 mins. Put cauliflower,egg plant, bell pepper,carrots,peas in the instant pot, Add 2 cups of water to it. Add 1 Tsp salt at this stage. Let it cook for 9 mins on high pressure setting, after 9 mins let all the pressure release naturally.
  2. Meanwhile finely chop the onion, wash and puree the tomatoes.
  3. Get back to the Instant pot, Open the lid, Carefully remove 1 cup of vegetable stalk from the pot, leave rest of the water in it. This stalk could be used later to adjust the consistency of the Bhaji.
  4. Now smash all the veggies in the pot, incorporating all of it together to form loose veggie puree. Take this out in a Bowl.
  5. Now rise the Instant pot quickly with plain water and put it back on saute mode for 20 mins.
  6. Add oil to the pot, then add onions, cook while stirring constantly until it turn translucent. (approx. 5-7 mins)
  7. Add ginger garlic chili paste to it. Again let it cook until golden brown (another 2-3 mins). If the mixture is sticking to the bottom of the pot, add splash of water to deglaze the pot.
  8. Now add tomato puree to the onion mixture, give it a good stir. Cook until puree starts oozing out the oil. That the sign of perfectly cooked tomatoes. (approx. 6-10 mins)
  9. Now its time to add the spices. Add the spice mixture/Pav Bhaji masala at this stage, giving everything a good mix. Let it cook for 2 mins.
  10. Now add the veggies and mix everything well, incorporating the veggies with spicy onion-tomato mixture.
  11. Add salt to taste (remember you have already added little salt to veggies so add accordingly)
  12. At this stage, you can adjust the consistency by adding the vegetable stalk kept aside to your liking.
  13. Add lemon juice and let the mixture cook for another 5 mins.Voila your Bhaji is ready to be devoured, sprinkle on some freshly chopped cilantro, dollop of butter and enjoy it with hot Pav or even whole wheat chapati.
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