Paav Bhaji in Instant Pot

Introduction

Pav bhaji is a fast food dish from India, consisting of a thick vegetable curry served with a soft bread roll. Pav bhaji has many variations in ingredients and garnishes, but is essentially a spiced mixture of mashed vegetables in a thick gravy, usually cooked on a flat griddle (tava) and served hot with a roasted soft white bread roll.

Ingredients

1. Oil – 1 Tbsp
2. Butter 3-4 Tbsp
3. Onion 1big
4. Garlic 4-5 pods
5. Tomatoes 2-3 Chopped
6. Potatoes 2 medium sized (peeled and chopped)
7. Carrot 1-2
8. Beetroot 1 (peeled and chopped)
9. Green peas 1 cup
10. Cauliflower 1 cup
11. MDH Pav bhaji masala – 2 Tbsp
12. Red chilli powder – 1 Tbsp
13. Water 1 cup
14. Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Start the instant pot on saute mode.
2. Put oil and butter in instant pot liner.
3. Add onion and garlic then fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Now add tomatoes, potatoes, beetroot, carrot, green peas, cauliflower and mix it.
5. Add pav bhaji masala, red chili powder, salt and half cup water and stop the saute mode.
6. Note: To make one pot meal, we can also cook rice with the Bhaji. Put stand on bhaji and place container filled with rice on it.
7. Cover the lid. Set the nozzle on SEALING and press the manual / pressure cook mode for 4 minutes.
8. Open the lid after 5-8 minutes i.e. NPR Natural Pressure Release.
9. Take out rice and stand.
10. Then start the instant pot again on sauté mode and mash the cooked vegetables with the use of potato masher or immersion hand blender. Usually, the gravy should be little chunky. Over mashing/blending will make it soupy.
11. Pav bhaji is ready, serve it with roasted pav.
12. Garnish it with chopped coriander, onion, lemon wedge and a dollop of butter.

Tips to cook paav bhaji faster

1. You can use chopper to cut vegetables into small pieces. If you are doing so then decrease the pressure cook time by 1 minute.

2. You can use frozen vegetables with onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes. If you are using frozen veggies without thawing then increase the time by 1 minute in Instant pot.

3. In traditional bhaji beetroot is not used but here to get that red colour and avoid the spicyness I am using beetroot.

4. This recipe can be made in the pressure cooker.

• All the process will be same till closing the lid.
• Let the cooker get 2-3 whistles on medium heat and then switch off the gas.
• Let it to cool down and then open the cooker.
• Now again put the pot on medium flame and Mash vegetables with potato masher or emersion hand blender.

The link given below is helpful in roasting the pav in bulk for parties or any get-togethers.

Video recipe of Pav bhaji in IP