One of my favorite med school memories is hanging out with friends post exams at Sardar Pav Bhaji -If you are looking for great pav bhaji, its the perfect place to go-if you are looking for ambiance, not so much- nevertheless at the end of every term a bunch of us would end up at the old-restaurant-style tables to eat a plate of spicy cheesy sardar pav bhaji.If you are in mumbai you need to make a trip to Sardar’s and I can guarantee you a good pav-bhaji.

Recipe Ingredients

• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion.
• 3 large potatoes
• 1 cup frozen mix vegetables
• 2 tomatoes pureed
• 3 cloves garlic-chopped.
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 green chili
• cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• Cumin/Jeera 1 tbsp
• Haldi-1/1 tsp
• Red Chili Powder/Mirchi- to taste
• Dhania Powder 3/4 tbsp
• 1 cups water
• 2 1/2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

Recipe Notes

• Its important to cook and thaw the frozen vegetables in oil before chopping them in a food processor-This allows the vegetables to absorb the garlic flavor.
• Mixing all the spices in 1/4 cup of hot water -somehow makes the bhaji taste better.(This is my nani’s (maternal grandmother) trick-she always uses hot water to mix the spices before adding them to any dish).

Recipe Directions

• Thaw the vegetables-is 1 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp garlic powder-After the vegetables have thawed-chop them roughly in a food processor.
• Boil and peel the potatoes.
• Heat the remaining oil-add Cumin Seeds,garlic and green chillies.Once the onion has cooked, add the boiled potatoes,chopped tomatoes,green chillies and mixed vegetables.Mix all the spices in 1/4 cup of warm water and add this mixture to the bhaji.
• Add 1/2 a cup of water-cover the pan with lid and cook for ten minutes.
• Add ketchup and the remaining water and cook on low heat for another 5-7 minutes.
• Take the Bhaji off the heat,add lime juice and cilantro for garnish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes

-Ashiima