Street-Style Pav Bhaji: 5 Tips for Cooking It Right At Home
Image Credit: pav bhaji/ pinterest.com

Indian street food is known for its flavourful and aromatic meals, which have gained popularity among food lovers all over the world. There is something for every taste bud, from savoury lassi to sweet jalebis to tangy chaat. Pav bhaji is one such authentic street food that is famous throughout the world. It is an Indian street food dish that hails from Maharashtra. This dish was first made as a quick lunch option for Mumbai textile mill workers. Later on, it started getting served at all the restaurants in Mumbai.

From Mumbai to all over the world, this dish now rules the menu of Indian street food. Pav Bhaji is usually served with soft, buttery pav buns and is cooked with a mixture of mashed vegetables and masalas. You can find several food vendors serving this flavorful dish in your neighbourhood if you explore around. However, if you want to prepare pav bhaji the street-style way at home, we've got you covered. Here are some simple tips so that you can prepare the perfect pav bhaji in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Choose The Right Vegetables

The initial and crucial step in making pav bhaji is choosing the right vegetables, as they significantly influence its flavour and texture. Opting for veggies like potato, onion, tomato, peas, and cauliflower can impart a street-style flavour to your dish. Moreover, ginger and garlic should be included to enhance the dish's robust flavour.

pav bhaji/ pinterest.com

Now that you've gathered all the vegetables, it's time to start mashing them. Mashing the veggies is a crucial step in making pav bhaji. By thoroughly mashing them with a potato masher or blender, you can achieve a smooth and creamy texture. This step is essential as it allows the vegetables to better absorb the masalas and create a more flavourful dish.

Don't Skimp On The Butter

This step is essential when preparing pav bhaji, and you don't want to miss it! The use of butter is key to achieving the rich, creamy flavour that characterises this dish. Street vendors typically use generous amounts of butter when cooking pav bhaji to give it a soft, buttery texture. To enhance the flavour further, consider adding a teaspoon of butter to the bhaji before serving.

Toasting The Pavs Right

It's time to toast the pav once the bhaji is prepared! The pav bhaji gets a great crunch and flavour from toasting the pavs in butter. Choose soft, fluffy buns or rolls and cut them in half horizontally for the best results. Toast them until they get a crunchy texture.

Garnish With Chopped Onions And Lemon

Finally, garnish the pav bhaji with chopped onions and lemon. This gives the food a splash of colour and some added flavour. Chopped onions are a great option to make your pav bhaji a little crunchier, and squeezed lemon adds a tart flavour to your dish that enhances the balance of the dish with the pav.