Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji (Marathi: पाव भाजी, also transliterated as pao bhaji and pau bhaji) is a fast fooddish native to Maharashtrians and is popular in most metropolitan areas in India, particularly in the Maharashtrian city of Mumbai. In Marathi, pav now means bread The term may derive from the term "one quarter" as the loaves are divided into four parts before being sold. Bhaji is a term for a curry and vegetable dish. Pav bhaji consists of the bhaji (a potato-based curry) and the pav, garnished with coriander and chopped onions. Pav is high in carbohydrates and fats (if served with butter), while bhaji, the vegetable-based curry portion, is high in carbohydrates.

Pav bhaji as served on an Indian train.

History

The origin of this dish is traced to the heyday of the textile mills in Mumbai. The mill workers used to have lunch breaks too short for a full meal, and a light lunch was preferred to a heavy one, as the employees had to return to physical labor after lunch. A vendor created this dish using items or parts of other dishes available on the menu. Roti or rice was replaced with pav and the curries that usually go with Indian bread or rice were amalgamated into just one spicy concoction-the 'bhaji'. Initially, it remained the food of the mill-workers. The dish found its way into restaurants and spread over Central Mumbai and other areas. Such is popularity of this dish, that it is common to find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants serving fast food in Asia (especially Singapore, Hong Kong), America, UK (London), Switzerland and elsewhere.

Preparation

To make bhaji, potatoes are mashed on a flat pan called a tava, and made into a thick gravy after adding diced tomatoes, finely grilled onions, green peas, capsicums (green pepper) and other vegetables like cauliflower. A special blend of spices called the pav bhaji masala is added to this thick gravy. The gravy is then allowed to simmer on the pan for a few minutes and is served hot in a flat dish with a tablespoon of butter on top. 

Pav Bhaji being prepared on iron tava

The pav (bread) is roasted on the same pan with an ample amount of butter and masala. The Bhaji is garnished with diced onion and a slice of lemon and served with the pav.

In restaurants some more varieties are available including Cheese Pav Bhaji with added cheese on top,Paneer Pav Bhaji with added paneer (cottage cheese), Mushroom Pav Bhaji, Khada Pav Bhaji(vegetables not mashed, but small pieces cooked with masala), and Dryfruit Pav Bhaji with added dryfruits, Jain Pav Bhaji (mostly in Gujarat) replacing the potato with unripe bananas, as Jains do not eat any food which is grown underground.

Consumption

It is consumed as a snack, between lunch and dinner, particularly by individuals in western India. In this part of India, pav bhaji is available on hand carts popularly known as Pav bhaji ki Gaadi. It is also available in almost all hotels and eateries. In recent years, pav bhaji is also being consumed as a light evening meal, and is also a party favorite.