Pav bhaji

Pav bhaji can be related to buttery mashed potatoes with an Indian touch. It is one of the popular dishes in North India and will come under 'chaat food' or 'street food' category. It will be typically served with a toasted bun called pav bun (looking like small burger buns).
The base for this curry is always potatoes and in some occasions raw plantain. Also it is noted for its rich butter / ghee flavor. It is one of my most favorites and my neighbor aunty would bring us this yummy gravy often. I used to make this with a readymade powder masala. But here is a recipe for this famous pav bhaji from scratch.

Pav bhajji with little ghee on top.

Pav bhaji is ready !

Tempering for bhajji

Boiled potato and vegetables.

Ingredients:
Boiled potato - 3 or 4
cauliflower - 1 cup
carrot - 1
green peas - 1/2 cup
capsicum - 1/2
onion - 1/2
tomato - 1
ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 3 cloves
green chillies - 3
cilantro - handful
milk - 1 cup (optional)

To powder :
Fennel - 1 tbsp

others:
ghee / butter - 3 tbsp
oil - 3 tbsp
cinnamon - small piece
bay leaf - 1
curry masala powder - 1 tbsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste
ghee - few tsp while serving.
lime juice - 2 tbsp

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes for 3 whistles or in 5 minutes in simmer after 1 whistle.
Put them in cold water and peel immediately. Mash finely using hands or a masher / spatula.
Mean while chop the cauliflower, capsicum, carrot finely and put them in a large wok with 1 cup water or milk. Put green peas also and cook till tender. To this add the mashed potatoes, turmeric powder, salt, garam/ curry masala powder, cumin powder and bring to a boil. Mash with spatula again coarsely, so that all vegetables get mixed very well.
 
Heat oil+butter in a wok and add cinnamon, bay leaf. Then add minced onion and stir fry for  a few seconds. Then add chopped tomato. Saute till oil separates. Finely chop ginger and garlic. Pour this to the boiling vegetables mixture.

Dry roast the fennel and powder it. Add this powder to the boiling mixture. If needed add some more water , so that the curry comes to a thick gravy consistency.

Switch off and mix lime juice, cilantro.

Pav bhaji is ready !

Serving suggestion:
It is traditional to add little ghee on top of the pav bhaji while it is served hot.
Serve with toasted pav buns or any roti.
Raw sliced onion and lemon are kept along with this bhaji.
Tastes good with dosa too.

Note:
My version is a simple pav bhaji recipe  'without pav spice masala mix'. We can find this pav masala easily in any  Indian grocery store (in the masala powder aisle).
If using pav bhaji readymade masala , then  don't add fennel / Sauf powder, cumin powder, curry masala powder. Pav masala has everything together.