INDIAN STREET FOOD: MUMBAI MASALA PAV BY VINDHYA BALANNAVAR

IMAGE CREDIT: VINDHYA BALANNAVAR

We Indians love everything that is khatta -meetha (sweet and sour), spicy, quick, very tasty unhealthy and fattening. How can you not grab a bite or two while you roam around the bylanes and streets of various Indian cities!  It totally leaves us getting hunger pangs. You get to see a plethora of street food delicacies. Every state and every city of this country has their own version of serving these mouth watering delicacies. Bhel Puri, Golgappas (PaaniPuri), Vada Pav, Misal Pav, Dahi Bhalle, Chole Bhature, Momos, Sandwiches, Pav Bhaji  and its variations ,99 varieties of Dosas, Indianised Chinese, Mirchi Bhajjis, Poha jalebi etc etc the list doesn’t end here. Everything absolutely lip-smacking and quick. The wait for your ‘Momos wale bhaiya’ after your tuitions or a tea break during your office hours, street food has become an integral part of our diet. Street food is the new comfort food. The aroma of those masalas /spices, fully loaded cheese (on sandwiches) is a delight to our eyes and taste buds. It’s amazing to see how street food vendors have invented such tasty dishes.

The other day I cooked Mumbai Masala Pav at home, as I was craving to eat it. One of the quickest and easiest snacks to make. Masala Pav is originally a Mumbai Roadside/Street Food. It’s nothing out of the world; it’s a Pav Bhaji variant sans Potatoes and Cauliflower. When you don’t want to cook something elaborate and satiate your hunger, this recipe comes in handy without much of an investment and mess. Masala Pav is made by stuffing Tomato-Onion-Capsicum Gravy (Indianised Salsa) into Butter Laden Pavs. It’s a great evening snack or even works for your weekend brunch. So let’s head on towards the recipe.

                                                  

Spicy Mumbai Masala Pav

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:   

·         1 Medium Onion – Finely chopped

·         2 Medium Tomatoes –Finely chopped

·         1Medium Capsicum –Finely chopped

·         3-4 Garlic & ½ inch Ginger + 1 -2 Green Chilles Crushed to a paste into a mortar pestle

·         ½ tsp Cumin seeds/Jeera

·         ¼ tsp Turmeric powder/haldi powder

·         ½ tsp Kashmiri lal Mirch powder/Red Chilli powder

·         3-4 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala ( I used Everest Pav Bhaji Masala)

·          Butter (Salted)

·         1/3 Cup Water

·         Salt as per taste

·         4 Pavs sliced into halves

·         For Garnishing : 1 medium Onion finely chopped (optional)

                              1 small lemon quartered or chopped

                              1-2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves/Dhania

                              1-2 tsp Grated cheese (optional)

Method:

1.       Firstly slit all the Pav into two halves and keep them aside.
2.       Take a Medium or large sized Tawa /Skillet .You can also use a Shallow frying pan but Tawa is preferable, as it become easier to prepare Melt 2 tbsp butter.
3.       Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and let it splutter.
4.       Add finely chopped onions and stir a bit.
5.       Add Ginger+ Garlic + green chillies paste (mortar pestle ready) and Saute till the onions turn translucent and the aroma of raw garlic and ginger mellows down.
6.       Then add finely chopped Tomatoes and sauté on a low flame for 3-4 mins.
7.       Now add ¼ tsp Turmeric powder and ½ tsp Kashmiri lal mirch /Red chilli powder, add 3-4 tsp of Pav Bhaji Masala as per the taste. Mix and Stir the masalas very well.
8.       Then add finely chopped Capsicum and again sauté for a minute or two. Add salt as per taste (Swad anusaar).Squeeze in some lemon juice.
9.       Add 1/3 cup water now. Adding water softens the tomatoes. Keep a low flame and let it simmer. The mixture will thicken as it simmers. We need consistency in the masalas, so that the Pav does not become soggy.
10.   Now bring all the Masala to a side of the Tawa. Melt some butter on the other empty side of the tawa.
11.   Keep the Slit Pav slices on the butter; Toast them until they absorb the butter. You can add more butter if you wish.
12.   Now take the cooked masala filling with a spatula or a spoon and spread it into the Pav evenly. Spread a little of that filling on the top of the Pav. Similarly roast the other Pav by melting butter on the empty side of the tawa. Masala Pav is ready to be served.
13.   Place the Pav on the serving Plate.
14.   Garnish with Chopped Onions, Coriander Leaves and Grated Cheese. Cut a lemon wedge and place it in between the Pav as it looks good J (as shown in the picture) Our Mumbai Masala Pav is ready to be savoured.

Notes:

             -Oil can be used instead of butter.

             -You can also use mashed potato if you want for the masala filling.

             -Instead of Kashmiri Lal Mirch Normal red chilli powder can also be used.

             -You can also make your own versions of Masala Pav by adding one or

                two other ingredients of your choice.