Pav Bhaji Masala Powder Recipe

Pav Bhaji Masala Powder - Roasted, freshly ground, spicy and aromatic Pav Bhaji masala powder

Now that we have made our super soft Homemade Pav Buns and Pav Bhaji masala totally from scratch, it is only fair that we make our homemade Pav Bhaji masala Powder.
This freshly ground powder just lifts up your Pav bhaji masala flavour, making you wanting more and more. When you temper using this powder for pav bhaji masala ( you can find the recipe here ), your whole kitchen will smell amazing!!
I bet, you just can't stop dipping your pav buns in this masala.

Its a perfect blend of spices that are roasted to perfection.

 

Homemade Pav Bhaji Masala Powder recipe

 Roasted, spicy Pav Bhaji masala powder!
 Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min
 Total time: 20 min |

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds: 2 tbsp
Pepper: 1 tbsp  
Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds: 1/2 tbsp
Dry Chilli: 3 
Cinnamon: 2" piece 

Clove: 3 
Black Cardamom: 1 
Green Cardamom: 1 
Amchoor Powder: 1 tbsp 

METHOD:
1) Dry roast coriander seeds, pepper and cumin seeds separately in a medium flame until fragrant ( Careful, not to burn them ). Transfer them to a plate to cool to room temperature.

2) Roast the fennel seeds. Next roast the dry chilli, cinnamon, clove, green cardamom and black cardamom until fragrant. Turn off the flame and add the amchoor powder. Give it a toss and transfer to the plate to cool down completely.

3) After the roasted items are cool to room temperature, transfer the contents to a mixer and grind to a fine powder. Let it cool and store it in an airtight container.

That's it... Your Pav Bhaji masala powder!!!

Recipe Source: Adapted from IndianHealthyrecipes

NOTES:

1) While dry roasting the spices, be careful not to burn them as burnt spices will yield a bitter taste.

2) If you can't find black cardamom, you can substitute it with green cardamom.

3) Apart from pav bhaji masala, you can also use this powder in many India currys or fillings.

Happy Cooking,

Sindhiya.S

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Eggless Soft and Fluffy Ladi Pav Buns / Dinner rolls Recipe

Soft and fluffy eggless Ladi pav buns / Dinner rolls made easy with step-by-step photos and many tips!!

Yay!!! this is my first post with yeast. Though I have been working with it for quite a few years, I can't believe it has taken me so much time to post a recipe.
There were times when I was so scared of yeast. Any recipe with yeast in it, I will skip it right away. Now I just love working with them. If you are like me, throw out your fears and give it a try. Baking bread / bun is such a wonderful job. Kneading, shaping, seeing it rise and finally taking the perfect golden bread/ bun from the oven....its all so much fun. You will just burst with happiness!!

The first thing you need to make a perfect bread / bun is THE YEAST. Though I have got good results with many active dry yeast, that we get in super markets, they were not consistent. So, I switched to instant yeast and they have not failed me once so far. You can get them in specialty bakery stores or in online too. Also, storing the yeast in freezer keeps them good for a long time.

When working with yeast, there are a few things that you must know, I am sure you would have read in many recipes. Anyway let me just give you a rundown,

• Make sure your yeast is not expired.
• Warm the milk, slightly warmer than our body temperature. When you place the back of your little finger in the milk, it should be pleasantly warm.
• If your milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.
• After 10 minutes of proofing time, if your yeast mixture is not frothy, discard that and start a fresh batch.
• Remember that yeast loves warm place, so whenever you let them rise, keep in a warm place, so that they can thrive well and make your bread so much fluffy.

 Ok, now lets come back to our pav buns. These pav buns are so soft, fluffy, perfectly golden and the best buns you can make or get anywhere. And I am not saying one of the best, no these are the BEST Pav buns. I have made these several times, modified and then tried again until I settled on this final version.
This is a very easy recipe with just basic ingredients. But the result is outstanding. 

You can make Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav with these buns or just enjoy them as such. I have already posted my Pav Bhaji recipe. Vada Pav recipe coming soon...
Here is a list of my other chaat / snack recipes
Bhel Puri
Chaat Chutneys
Chilli Cheese Sandwich
Vegetable Sandwich
Vegetable Cutlet

 

Eggless Pav Buns / Dinner Rolls

 Soft and Fluffy Ladi Pav Buns!
 Prep time: 2 h and 15 min | Cook time: 15 min
 Total time: 2 h and 30 min |Yield: 16 buns

Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour / Maida: 2 and 1/2 cups
Salt: 1 and 1/4 tsp  
Milk: 1 cup and 1 tbsp + for brushing on top
Sugar: 1 and 1/4 tbsp
Instant Yeast: 1 and 3/4 tsp 
Unsalted Butter: 2 tbsp + for brushing on top 

My 1 cup measures 240 ml.
METHOD:
1) Add sugar to warm milk. Stir well and add the yeast.

2) Stir the yeast and let it aside in a warm place for 10 minutes. Meanwhile whisk flour and salt in a bowl.

3) After 10 minutes the yeast mixture will be frothy like the picture below ( If your yeast mixture is not frothy, then either the yeast is expired or the milk temperature is too hot. In which case, you need to start a fresh batch again )
Pour the yeast mixture to the flour mix and bring it together as a dough. The dough will be slightly sticky. If your dough is not sticky, then you can add a tbsp of milk.

4) Add in softened butter and mix until the butter is well incorporated with the dough. Turn the dough to a working surface and start kneading.

5) Knead the dough for 8 to 9 minutes until the dough is nice and elastic ( when poked with a finger lightly, it should spring back ) Shape the dough to a ball and place it in a well oiled bowl ( of course,  you can use the same bowl which you used for mixing ) Coat the dough with oil ( so that the dough doesn't dry out while proofing )
Cover with a cling film and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

6) After 1 1/2 hours, the dough will be doubled in size ( see picture below ). Punch down the dough and knead one or two times. Divide the dough into 16 equal parts.
I used a kitchen scale to get same sized buns.

7) Shape them into small balls and place in a greased 8" square pan. Cover it with the cling film and let it rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
On the last 10 minutes of proofing time, preheat oven to 190 C for 10 minutes.
After 1 hour, the buns will be well risen as shown in the picture. Gently brush the top with milk.

8) Bake in a preheated oven, at 190 C in the center rack of the oven for 15 to 17 minutes. The top will be golden and when you tap the buns, there will be a hollow sound, indicating that the buns are done!!
Take the buns out of the oven and immediately brush the top with melted butter. Run a knife around the sides and carefully transfer the buns to a wire rack to let it cool completely to room temperature.

TaDa...  Amazing Pav buns are ready!!!

Look how incredibly soft they are...

Recipe Source:Slightly adapted from CookingShooking
NOTES:
1) The rising time may differ depending on the temperature of your place. So, generally let it rise / proof until doubled in size.
2) Brushing the top with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven, yields a soft crust.
3) Store the buns in an airtight container.


Happy Cooking,
Sindhiya.S

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Pav Bhaji Recipe ( Mumbai Style )

Mumbai Style Pav Bhaji - A spicy and aromatic mixed vegetable curry served hot with soft Pav ( buns )

This is one of my top most favorite chats. I have been to Mumbai once and the chaats there are sooo good. Like I still can't get over the pani puri that I ate there. In my short visit I couldn't get a chance to try the famous Juhu beach Pav Bhaji.
Later I came across this video taken at a stall in Juhu beach. I gave it a try and was so surprised that it tasted so much better than any of the pav Bhajis I have tasted so far. And Sankar being a more crazy fan of pav bhaji than me finished 3 plates ( yes 3 plates, with homemade pav!!!) the very first time I made this.

Here I have used potatoes, carrot, peas and capsicum. You can also try adding cauliflower and beans. But try not to skip the capsicum. It is one of the main ingredient that boosts the flavour, apart from the homemade Pav Bhaji Masala ( recipe coming soon! )
UPDATE: You can check out my Pav Bhaji Masala Powder recipe here

 

Pav Bhaji Recipe

 Mumbai style Pav Bhaji!
 Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 35 min
 Total time: 45 min |Yield: 7 or 8 plates

INGREDIENTS:
Potatoes: 4 
Carrots: 2 
Peas: 1/2 cup 
Oil: 1 tbsp 
Capsicum: 1 ( small ) 
Tomato: 1 ( medium size )
GingerGarlic Paste: 1 and 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/8 tsp 
Chilli Powder: 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Pav Bhaji Masala Powder : 1 and 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Butter: 1 tbsp
Onion: 1/2 ( finely chopped )
Kasoori Methi: 1 tbsp
Hing: 1/8 tsp
Water: as required
Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp
Lemon: 1/2

METHOD:
1) Peel and chop the  potatoes and carrots and place them in a pressure cooker along with peas. Add 1/4 cup water and salt to taste. Give it a mix and cook until soft ( 1 whistle and 5 minutes sim )


2) After the pressure releases, mash the veggies with a mathu ( or a Potato masher). No need to make a fine paste, some chunks are good ( just like in the picture below )

3) Heat oil in a kadai, add the capsicum fry for about 30 seconds then add the tomato and fry for a minute. Next add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell leaves ( about  a minute ). Add 1/4 cup water and cook until little soft.

4) Add the mashed veggies. Now add turmeric powder, salt, 1 tsp chilli powder and 1 and 1/2 tsp Pav Bhaji masala Powder. Give it a mix.

5) Add 1 and 1/2 cups water. Bring it to a boil and then simmer it and cook unitl the oil separates on top and the raw smell leaves. In a separate pan heat butter.

6) Add the chopped onion and fry for a minute. Now add hing, kasoori methi, 1/2 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp Pav Bhaji masala powder. Mix and fry for a minute in low flame ( don't let it burn! )

7) Add this tempered mix to the vegetable mix. Mix well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes before turning off. Lastly squeeze in lemon juice and add the chopped coriander leaves.

TO SERVE:
1) Slice the pav buns across the middle, but not all the way through ( as shown in picture )

2) Heat some butter in a tawa and toast the pav buns, cut side down until golden brown and crisp!

Serve the buttery hot Pav buns with the perfectly spicy Bhaji along with finely chopped onions and a lemon slice...

NOTES:

1) When mashing the vegetables, don't make it into a puree. You need some chunks .
2) You can also serve the pav bhaji with a dollop of butter on top, for extra richness.
3) Adjust the water amount, according to the consistency.



Happy Cooking,
Sindhiya.S

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