Thursday, March 29, 2007

Masala Pav




I spent almost 10 days in Mumbai very recently but when I am here in Blr for long and I just about start becoming homesick I inadvertently navigate to recipes typical of Mumbai. Masala Pav is made mostly at home. Some eateries do sell it but is presented in a different way. This snack is also called Pava-chi bhaaji ie. bhaaji made from pav. Not to mix it with Pav bhaaji. Well what kind of Indian would have not heard of Pav Bhaaji or am I over estimating the the Mumbai pop culture that pervades all India.

Ingredients

1 cup Bread cubes
1 onion chopped lengthwise
2 large tomatoes quartered
1 handful cilantro
1/2 teaspoon pav bhaaji masala (optional)
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon jeera powder
2 green chillies chopped fine.
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 pinch asofoetida

Heat oil in a wok and fry the onions till pink. In go the chopped chillies and cilantro at this point. Then add all the powders one by one asofoetida, chilli, turmeric, coriander, jeera and stir for a min. The pav bhaaji masala is optional just for the extra taste. When the masala looks nice red due to the frying add the tomatoes. The tomatoes should be cooked on high heat till they melt away into the concoction.

Now this snack is normally made with any type of stale bread, like sliced, brun, mumbai pao. Yet nothing should stop you from using a fresh one. At this point add the cubed bread and mix. To allow masala to coat evenly sprinkle 1/2 cup water on the mix and stir. Do not add the water all at once else the bread will turn soggy. Water is to be used only if bread is hard. Soft fresh bread does not require water to be sprinkled over is.

Enjoy this Mumbai snack. Did you note it is tomatolicious!

14 comments:

  1. Pavachi bhaji. Stale bread. Yummy!

    'cept in our case, no tomatoes. I miss it so much! The bread here does not get dry and stale to give the kind of texture that stale bread in Bombay did.

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  2. Manisha how about toasting a bit.

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  3. Interesting. We do make PAvachi Bhaji at home but little different version. I must ask my wife to cook it in this manner.

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  4. Hey Anjali Masala Pav looks good and interesting too..

    I think it can be made in short...

    By the way i have tagged you dear,,,please do when you are free...first i thought not to overload as a busy lady....Now interested to know more about you:))

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  5. Yummm! mouth watering.
    you know what, once I ended up making extra garlic bread and then used it for this masala pav, was soooo good. You may try it if you like the garlicky flavor.

    thanks

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  6. We also make this but it doesn't go by this name at our house :)

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  7. What is with these ex-pats?! They are craving stale bread now!! :-)

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  8. Looks really yummy! Perfect for an evening snack. Will try it sometime!
    Cheers
    Latha

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  9. Ushi thanks dear for the tag I'll do it. Right now I am in transition from one post to other so have all the time in the world err.. not exactly though.

    Richa you are a garlicoholic! Will try that too thanks.

    Anita I plan to export stale bread need a partner in business. Exclusively homemade and handpacked how about that? LOL ;)

    Sandeepa like to know what you call it?

    Hey Latha nostalgia of one city and a taste of another is a hit combo. Didn't you know? :)

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  10. Lovely recipe! I was looking for such variations with bread...thanks Anjali.

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  11. Anjali,
    I made this today for breakfast,we absolutely liked it a lot! Didnt need water as the bread though stale was fresh enough! :) Thks for this keeper recipe!

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  12. hey i ahve a variation,if u have overnite's bhaji from pav bhaji...which isnt sufficient for all members next morning u can use that also as gravy for masala pav.........it taste's superb......

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  13. Iyer...yeah I have done that too couple times :). its so yummy isn't it?

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