Subru Uncle's Pao-Bhaji

Charishma_Ramchandani's Note:

Subru uncle and me are REALLY busy as the days of my departure from Oman for my holiday in the US draw nearer! He is teaching me all the veg. dishes my family loves to eat. This is one of his most prized creations! I have served this many times to my friends and family for Valentines' day, for several of our festivals, etc. This is a wonderful main dish with pao. Some people like using butter to make this because it tastes even more flavourful and tasty in that case(but there are also the extra cals!) That's why we use oil to make this. This is one of our FAVOURITE lunch dishes! This goes VERY WELL at potluck parties also! Always gets over before we know it! I REALLY hope you love this as much as we all do! Note: This recipe can be easily doubled to make more servings. This will make you KITCHEN QUEEN, I Promise:)!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 21 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Cook Time: 51 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 5

• 2 medium carrots, washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch sized cubes
• 5 medium potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch sized cubes
• 1 cup green peas (if using frozen ones, defrost, wash and then use)
• 1 small fresh cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 green capsicum, washed, stems removed and de-seeded (bell pepper)
• 2 medium tomatoes, washed and peeled
• 1 cup French beans (optional)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups water, divided

For the masala

• 4 tablespoons oil or 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 medium onions, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 5 -6 garlic cloves, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 1 medium green chili, washed, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 3/4 tablespoons pav-bhaji masala (I use the Badshah brand)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

For Garnishing

• 5 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, washed and finely chopped (to garnish)
• 2 small onions, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled, washed and cut in juliennes
• 2 lemons, halved
• 4 tablespoons onion rings

Directions:

1. Boil the first seven ingredients(that is, all the veggies), covered, in a very large pot for 30 minutes on high flame or until they are extremely soft (they should be so soft that they break at the slightest touch).
2. In the meantime while the veggies are kept to boil, heat 4 tbsps. of oil in a very large sized pot.
3. Add 2 tsps. of cumin seeds when the oil is hot.
4. Allow the seeds to crackle.
5. Once they stop crackling, add ginger, garlic, onion and green chilli.
6. Stir-fry on high flame until the masala becomes very dry and starts leaving the sides of the pan (When it is so dry that it appears almost black in colour, that means it is ready. DO NOT burn it, keep stir-frying continuously until it gets very very dry).
7. Add pav-bhaji masala powder and turmeric powder to the onion-ginger mixture in the pot.
8. Mix well and continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove this pot from flame.
10. By now, the veggies would have become extremely soft.
11. Remove from flame and with the help of a pounding stone (known as"mandira" in Hindi), mash the veggies extremely well.
12. Add the mashed veggies mixture to the prepared masala in the very large pot.
13. Stir in a little over 1/4 cup of water.
14. Mix well.
15. Garnish with corriander leaves, onion rings, ginger juliennes and 2 lemons (halved).
16. Serve hot (we like to have it immediately once it's ready) with pao (that's the actual accompaniment to this vegetarian dish) or with white bread or brown bread or parathas (this will go very well with my Pudina/Mint Parathas) or cooked long-grain Basmati rice.
17. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Chef #654946]

Not too difficult, and extremely tasty! We loved it. I made up a batch of masala (Garam Masala, garam masala) and used homemade spiced ghee instead of oil. Fabulous!