Pineapple Hot Sauce With Habanero Chillies

It is not often that I find beautiful Habanero chillies that do not cost a bomb. Recently, when I found them at Namdhari’s, I had to grab a packet. I had a hunch the heat of the Habanero chillies would go beautifully with the tangy sweetness of pineapple – and that was how this Pineapple Hot Sauce came about. I was right. The sauce turned out to be a brilliant riot of flavours!

About Habanero Chillies

Habanero is a variety of chilli that is quite spicy, believed to be scores of times hotter than an jalapeno. The spiciness of Habanero chillies – also called Habanero peppers – might differ depending upon the place where they are grown. The ones I picked up from Namdhari’s were very hot!

Ripe Habanero chillies. Just how pretty are these?!

Habanero chillies are green in colour, and they commonly turn red, yellow or orange as they ripen. Typically, these spicy chillies are quite small in size, only a few centimetres long.

These chillies have a lovely fruity flavour to it too which – along with the heat they possess – make them an ideal candidate for hot sauces.

A closer look at this Pineapple Hot Sauce

I’m a big fan of home-made sauces (like this tomato ketchup and this hot sauce made with Fresno chillies) and, I have to say, this Pineapple Hot Sauce is one of my favourites. It is a real beauty, literally bursting with flavour. Sweet and tangy and hot, it is just brilliant in sandwiches and wraps, burgers and pizza. It also makes for an amazing dip for nachos, chips, samosas, French fries and all sorts of fried goodies. You could even stir it into your mocktails and use it in salads.

As versatile and delicious as this Pineapple Hot Sauce is, it is very easy to make. It barely needs a few minutes!

White vinegar and sugar are the only two ‘unhealthy’ things I have used here, but in way less quantity than in commercial sauces. I have used very little salt here too, as opposed to that in commercially available sauces.

How to make Pineapple Hot Sauce

Here is how I made it.

Ingredients (makes about 1-1/2 cup):

1. 2 cups of pineapple, chopped
2. 6 habanero chillies
3. 1 medium-sized onion, about 3/4 cup when sliced
4. 6-7 cloves of garlic
5. A 1-inch piece of ginger
6. 1-1/2 teaspoon oil
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
8. 1/4 cup white vinegar
9. 4 tablespoons sugar

Method:

1. Remove the cores and thorns from the pineapple. Chop into medium-sized cubes. Keep ready.

2. Next, we will prep the other things that will go into the sauce. Remove the tops, seeds and fibres from the Habanero chillies, and chop them up. Peel the ginger and chop finely. Peel the onion and chop length-wise. Peel the garlic cloves. Keep everything ready.

3. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in the chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Turn the flame down to medium. Saute on medium flame for a minute.

4. At this stage, add the chopped pineapple and Habanero chillies to the pan. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the ingredients lose their raw texture. Switch off gas.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Bottom left and right: Steps 3 and 4

5. Allow the cooked ingredients to cool down completely.

6. Transfer the cooked ingredients to a mixer jar, when they have cooled down fully. Add in the salt, sugar and white vinegar.

7. Grind all the ingredients together to a smooth puree, without adding any water. Your Pineapple Hot Sauce is ready. Once done, transfer to a clean, dry, air-tight bottle and keep refrigerated.

Top: Step 5, Bottom left and right: Steps 6 and 7

Tips & Tricks

1. If you are not able to find Habanero chillies, you could substitute it with other varieties like Fresno or jalapenos. Remember to adjust the quantity of chillies you use, depending upon how hot they are.

2. For best results, use ripe but not over-ripe, sweet and juicy pineapple. Make sure all the cores and thorns are removed before you use them in making this sauce.

3. Adjust the amount of sugar you use depending on personal taste preferences.

4. I have used a mix of orange, red and yellow Habanero chillies here. The colour of your sauce will depend upon the chillies that you use.

5. Allow the cooked ingredients to cool down fully, before starting to grind them.

6. Store the Pineapple Hot Sauce in a clean, dry, air-tight bottle, refrigerated. Use a clean dry spoon only. This way, it lasts well over 2 months, but is best used within a month.

7. You can pass the sauce through a sieve to make it smooth, but that’s absolutely up to you. It’s not necessary. I didn’t do it.

8. I have removed the seeds and the fibres from the Habanero chillies here, to cut down on their spiciness. If you can handle very hot food, you can leave them in, by all means.

9. If you are not used to handling hot chillies, it would be advisable to wear a pair of gloves before doing so. Also, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the Habaneros.

10. I have used regular refined oil here.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

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Nuchinunde| Karnataka’s Steamed Lentil Dumplings

Nuchinunde is a Karnataka specialty that I make often. It is a super healthy and delicious thing, and quite easy to put together, though it needs a bit of prep. It is perfect for breakfast, as a snack or light dinner. This is one of the dishes I learnt to cook from my sister-in-law soon after my wedding, and we love it so much that I have continued to make it over the years.

When I recently posted about making Nuchinunde for dinner in my Instagram stories, I had several people pinging me to ask for the recipe. So, here I go. 😊

A close-up of Nuchinunde, Karnataka’s steamed lentil dumplings

What is Nuchinunde?

Like I was saying earlier, Nuchinunde is a traditional recipe from the state of Karnataka. In Kannada, ‘Nuchu‘ means ‘broken’ and ‘unde‘ means ‘balls’. So, Nuchinunde refers to balls or dumplings made from broken grains – the ‘broken grains’ here refer to lentils that have been coarsely crushed.

A few other ingredients and finely chopped vegetables are mixed with broken lentils to form balls, which are then steam-cooked. That’s Nuchinunde for you! A bit similar to the Pidi Kozhukattai of of Tamilnadu, but quite different too.

Nuchinunde is not one of those dishes you would readily find on restaurant menus, but it is prepared quite often in Kannadiga households. It is commonly prepared on festive occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi and Naga Panchami.

What’s the big deal with Nuchinunde?

– They are made using lentils and a few vegetables, hence full of protein. A great way to sneak in some veggies!

– They are steamed, and need zero oil. Super healthy!

– They are completely vegetarian and vegan, and can easily be made gluten-free too.

– They are fairly easy to make, with a little bit of prep work.

– Quite a few variations are possible. Every time you make these, you can try out something new!

– Making them needs just a few ingredients commonly found in a typical Indian kitchen. There are no fancy ingredients in there.

– They taste absolutely delicious!

– They don’t really need an elaborate side dish. They can be served with a simple coconut chutney or a tangy tomato gojju. We like having these with leftover Morekozhambu or Vattalkozhambu too.

– They are quite filling and hearty.

– Nuchinunde can be used to make a few other heritage Karnataka dishes, like Unde Huli and Majjige Huli – will share recipes for these dishes shortly.

How to make Nuchinunde

Here’s how I make them.

Ingredients (makes about 10 big balls):

1. 1 cup toor dal
2. 1/4 cup chana dal
3. A 1-inch piece of ginger
4. 3 green chillies or as per taste
5. Salt to taste
6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 2 pinches of asafoetida
8. A small piece of cabbage, about 1/4 cup when finely chopped
9. 1 medium-sized carrot
10. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
11. 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
12. 2 sprigs of curry leaves

Method:

1. Wash the toor dal and chana dal well under running water. Now, soak them in enough water for about 4 hours.

2. When the toor dal and chana dal are done soaking, drain out all the water from them. Add the soaked and drained dal to a mixer jar.

3. Chop the chillies roughly. Peel the ginger and chop roughly. Add the chopped chillies and ginger to the mixer jar.

4. Add in salt to taste as well.

5. Grind all the ingredients in the mixer jar to a coarse paste. Do not add any water while grinding.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Above leftmost bottom and leftmost bottom: Steps 3 and 4, Bottom right: Step 5

6. Now, transfer the coarsely ground mixture to a large mixing bowl. Chop the coriander, dill, curry leaves and cabbage finely, and add to the mixing bowl too. Peel the carrot, grate medium thick, and add to the mixing bowl as well.

7. Mix all the ingredients in the mixing bowl well, using your hands. Then make oval-shaped dumplings out of all the mixture. The mixture will be moist enough for you to be able to shape the dumplings easily. You should get about 10 dumplings.

8. Arrange all the dumplings in a colander, leaving some space between them and not overcrowding them.

9. Take 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker bottom and place it on high heat. Allow the water to start boiling. Now, place a stand inside the pressure cooker, then place the colander with the dumplings on top of the stand. Ensure that no water enters the colander. Close the pressure cooker – do not put the whistle on. Steam the dumplings on high flame for 12-15 minutes after this or till they are fully cooked.

Top left and right: Steps 6 and 7, Bottom left: Step 7, Bottom right: Step 8

10. Wait for 7-10 minutes before opening the cooker. Your Nuchinunde are ready. Serve them hot with a chutney of your choice.

Variations to the Nuchinunde

1. I have used 1 cup of toor dal and 1/4 cup of chana dal here. Instead, you could skip the chana dal entirely and use 1-1/4 cup toor dal to make the dumplings. Both versions taste equally lovely.

2. You can skip the dill leaves completely, and increase the amount of coriander that you use.

3. About 1/4 cup of fresh grated coconut can be added in to the dumplings too. I usually don’t.

4. Instead of the dill, fresh mint leaves can be used.

5. The above is a no-onion, no-garlic recipe. You may even add in some finely chopped onion, if you prefer. I usually do not. Skip the onion if you are preparing the Nuchinunde for a festive occasion.

6. Finely chopped fenugreek leaves can be added to the Nuchinunde too.

Tips & Tricks

1. The above recipe is completely vegetarian and vegan, suitable to those following a plant-based diet.

2. To make this recipe gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida. This is because most commercial brands of asafoetida available in India contain wheat flour to a lesser or greater extent and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. However, if you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you can definitely use it.

3. The above recipe yields about 10 big dumplings, which serve three. You may make smaller dumplings, if you so prefer.

4. Adjust the number of green chillies you use, as per personal taste preferences.

5. Go easy on the dill, if using it. A little goes a long way, as far as fresh dill leaves are concerned. Dill has an overwhelmingly strong fragrance and we don’t prefer using more than the above quantity. However, if you are a dill-loving family, you could definitely go ahead and use more of it.

6. I have used a large, 8-litre pressure cooker to steam the Nuchinunde. You may use a steamer instead, too. I have used a colander here; you can use idli plates as well.

7. Make sure there is enough water in the pressure cooker bottom to last the length of the steaming process.

8. Make sure you steam the Nuchinunde in a colander, so they are evenly cooked. Don’t forget to place the colander on top of a stand, so there’s no water entering it.

9. Make sure the vegetables you use are not chopped/grated too thick, to ensure they are thoroughly cooked.

10. Make sure you grind the lentils coarsely. Do not make a fine paste. Do not add any water while grinding.

Did you like the recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Schezwan Noodles| Vegetable Noodles With Schezwan Sauce

Today, I’m going to share with you all the way I make Schezwan Noodles with vegetables, one of my most favourite Chinese foods.

Schezwan Noodles, cooked with vegetables

A closer look at Schezwan Noodles

For the uninitiated, Schezwan Noodles refers to noodles cooked with Schezwan sauce. The red-coloured sauce, known for its spiciness, is made using red chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic, soya sauce and vinegar. The sauce has a lovely flavour, which makes the noodles super delicious.

There are many theories about the invention of the Schezwan sauce, but it is largely believed to have been developed based on the flavours of Sichuan cuisine from South-Western China. Sichuan cuisine is bold and delicious, making ample use of ginger, garlic, peppercorns and chillies. Today, Schezwan Noodles are a popular street food in many parts of the world, including India, and quite easy to recreate at home as well.

I load my Schezwan Noodles with tonnes of vegetables. I also make the Schezwan sauce at home, so I can control the spice level – I’ll be sharing the recipe for the same on the blog, shortly.

#LunarNewYearFest At Foodie Monday Blog Hop

This post is brought to you in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of enthusiastic food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. The theme this week is
#LunarNewYearFest.

Preethi of Preethi’s Cuisine suggested the theme for the week, considering that the Lunar New Year is just around the corner. All of us are showcasing Asian dishes that are perfect for the occasion. I’m loving the Longevity Noodles Preethi has prepared for the theme – they look so tempting! Since noodles are quite commonly cooked for the festivities, I chose to make these Schezwan Noodles for the theme.

What is Lunar New Year?

Celebrated in several Asian countries, the Lunar New Year begins on the first new moon and ends on the first full moon day of the lunar calendar. The lunar calendar is based on the movements of the moon, so the dates for the festival vary every year. In 2021, the festival begins on February 12.

The Lunar New Year is known by different names in different Asian countries – Tet in Vietnam, Losar in Tibet, Chunjie in Chinese and Solnal in Korea, for instance. In any country, though, shopping, gifts, dressing up, decorating the house, food, friends and family are at the heart of the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Noodles cooked with vegetables, dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, sweet rice balls, whole fish, spring rolls, cooked chicken or duck, pork, mushrooms and oranges are some foods commonly consumed during Lunar New Year, supposed to bring good luck.

How to make Vegetable Schezwan Noodles

Here is how I go about it.

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

1. 150 grams Hakka noodles

2. 2 cups chopped vegetables: I used 1 medium-sized carrot, 1 small capsicum, a small piece of cabbage, a handful of sweet corn, and 1 medium-sized onion

3. 5-6 cloves of garlic

4. Salt, as needed

5. 1/2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons sesame oil

6. 1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed black pepper

7. 2 tablespoons of Schezwan sauce or as needed

8. 1/2 tablespoon soya sauce

9. 1 teaspoon sugar

10. 1 teaspoon white vinegar or as per taste

Method:

1. Take 7-8 cups of water in a large heavy-bottomed pan and place on high flame. Let the water come to a rolling boil.

2. Now, add the Hakka noodles to the boiling water, along with about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon oil. Turn the flame down to medium.

3. Let the noodles cook on medium flame till they are done, but not overly mushy. This can take 7-10 minutes.

4. In the meantime, prep the vegetables. Peel the onion and carrot. Chop the carrot into sticks, and the onion length-wise. Chop the cabbage and capsicum thinly, length-wise too. Keep ready.

5. Peel the garlic cloves. Chop finely. Keep ready.

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Bottom right: Step 3, Above leftmost bottom and leftmost bottom: Steps 4 and 5

6. When the noodles are done, transfer them to a colander placed in the kitchen sink. Immediately run cold water over them. Then, let the noodles sit undisturbed for about 15 minutes, for all the water to drain out.

7. Once the water has completely drained out from the noodles, add 1 teaspoon of oil to them. Mix gently, ensuring that all the noodles are coated with the oil.

8. Now, we will start preparing the Schezwan Noodles. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in the finely chopped garlic. Allow the garlic to brown lightly.

9. Add in the chopped vegetables, along with a bit of salt. Stir-fry on high flame for about 2 minutes. The vegetables should be cooked, but still retain some crunch to them.

Top left and right: Steps 6 and 7, Bottom left and right: Steps 8 and 9

10. Reduce the flame down to medium. Add in the coarsely crushed black pepper and mix well.

11. Now, add the cooked noodles to the pan, along with the Schezwan sauce, soya sauce, sugar and vinegar. Mix well, using a pair of tongs, ensuring that all the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Do not overdo it, as the noodles might break.  Your Schezwan Noodles are ready – serve hot, immediately.

Top: Step 10, Bottom left and right: Step 11

Tips & Tricks

1. I have used Hakka noodles by Ching’s Secret. You can use any type of noodles you prefer.

2. I have used home-made Schezwan sauce here. You may use a store-bought version instead, too. Ching’s Secret Schezwan Sauce is a good one to use. Adjust the quantity you use as per personal taste preferences.

3. Adjust the quantity of vinegar as per personal taste preferences.

4. Skip the black pepper if the sauce is too spicy. You can use white pepper instead, too.

5. You can skip the sugar if the Schezwan sauce you are using is a bit on the sweeter side. It gives a nice flavour to the noodles. You may use jaggery instead, too.

6. Vegetables like sweet corn, cabbage, beans, broccoli, carrot, onion and capsicum go best in these noodles. I have not used broccoli or beans here, since I did not have any. I have used a mix of green and red capsicum here.

7. Stir-fry the vegetables on high heat, for maximum flavour. Make sure they are not overcooked. They should be cooked through, but still have a bite to them.

8. Make sure you follow the instructions on the package, while cooking the noodles. Cook just the way the package suggests. The noodles should not be overly cooked or mushy – they should be just cooked through.

9. I have used sesame oil here, as it goes very well in this recipe. You can use regular refined oil instead too, or a mix of refined oil and sesame oil.

10. Don’t forget to coat the cooked noodles with oil, once they are drained. This helps the noodles from sticking to each other.

11. Don’t skimp on the oil while preparing these Schezwan Noodles. A generous quantity of oil is needed to keep the noodles non-sticky.

12. Be gentle while mixing the noodles with the sauce. Take care to ensure that the noodles do not break. You may even toss the noodles in the pan to do so, if you are comfortable doing so. I use a pair of tongs.

13. Be careful while adding in salt. Remember that the soya sauce and Schezwan sauce contain salt too. It’s better to be sparing with the salt rather than making the dish too salty.

14. Make sure you chop the veggies thinly. Slicing all the vegetables evenly helps in even cooking.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Pav Bhaji| Bhaji Pav Recipe

There is no dearth of street food in India. You will find it at every nook and corner, in every state of the country. Some of these foods are unique to the region in question, while some eternal favourites are available everywhere. Pav Bhaji is one of those street foods that originated in Mumbai, but is now a favourite with people everywhere.

I absolutely adore Pav Bhaji, the delicious thing that it is. Very few places in Bangalore make Pav Bhaji the way it is meant to, and I’m sure to order it whenever we are visiting these eateries. I make it often at home too (read: on days that I need to clean up my fridge’s vegetable cabinet 😊). Me being me, I try to load my Pav Bhaji with veggies and make it healthy by using very little oil and butter.

What is Pav Bhaji?

One of India’s beloved street foods, Pav Bhaji (also called ‘Bhaji Pav‘) refers to toasted bread served with a vegetable gravy.

The bread in question is called ‘ladi pav‘ and is super soft. It is usually toasted with butter.

Potatoes are the major component of the vegetable gravy (called ‘bhaji’), but it often has other vegetables added in as well. A fragrant spice mix called pav bhaji masala is used to flavour the gravy.

The ladi pav–bhaji duo is typically served with accompaniments like finely chopped onions and wedges of lemon. The bhaji is usually served topped with a chunk of butter and some finely chopped fresh coriander.

As a whole, Pav Bhaji tastes absolutely lovely and is quite filling. Making it at home isn’t a very difficult task, making it perfect for weekday dinners. Making pav bhaji at home also allows you to control the ingredients that go into it, to make it healthier and guilt-free.

#StreetFoodsOfIndia at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

Today, I’m going to share with you all the way I make Pav Bhaji at home. This recipe is brought to you in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. This week, it was my turn to choose the theme this week, and I decided upon #StreetFoodsOfIndia, street foods from different parts of the country. I chose to showcase this personal favourite Bhaji Pav recipe for the theme.

How to make Pav Bhaji

Here is how I go about it.
Ingredients (serves 6):

1. 3 cups of chopped vegetables (See notes)
2. 2 large potatoes
3. 1 medium-sized onion
4. 4 medium-sized tomatoes
5. A 1-inch piece of ginger
6. 5-6 cloves of garlic
7. 1/2 tablespoon oil
8. Salt to taste
9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
10. Red chilli powder to taste
11. 3/4 tablespoon pav bhaji masala or to taste
12. 3/4 teaspoon of garam masala or as needed
13. Juice of 1 lemon or to taste
14. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander

For serving:

1. 12 pieces of ladi pav, or as needed
2. Salted butter, as needed to toast the ladi pav
3. Finely chopped onion, as needed
4. Lemon wedges, as needed
5. Finely chopped coriander, as needed

Method:

1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly, removing all traces of dirt from them. Cut into quarters, and place in a wide vessel. Add in enough water to submerge the potatoes fully. Place the vessel in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on high flame or till the potatoes get fully cooked. Let the pressure release naturally.

2. Peel the ginger and garlic cloves. Chop roughly.

3. Grind the ginger and garlic roughly in a small mixer jar. Use a little water for the grinding. Keep aside.

4. Chop 3 cups of mixed vegetables. Transfer to a wide vessel and add about 1/4 cup of water. Place in a pressure cooker and cook on high flame for 2 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.

5. Chop the tomatoes roughly.

6. Grind the tomatoes to a puree in a large mixer jar. Keep aside.

7. Chop the onion finely. Keep aside.

Top left, centre and right: Steps 1, 2 and 3, Centre: Step 4, Bottom left, centre and right: Steps 5, 6 and 7

8. When the pressure from the cooker has gone down fully, get the cooked veggies and potatoes out. Keep the cooked vegetables aside, along with the water they were cooked in.

9. Drain out all the water from the cooked potatoes. We will use this in the Pav Bhaji later.

10. Allow the potatoes to cool down. Then, peel them and mash roughly.

Top: Step 8, Bottom left and right: Steps 9 and 10

11. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add in the chopped onion. Saute on high flame till the tomatoes turn translucent, about 2 minutes.

12. Add in the tomato puree. Cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes or till the raw smell of the tomatoes goes away completely.

13. Add in the cooked veggies, along with the water they were cooked in. Also add the ginger-garlic paste.

14. Turn the flame down to medium. Add in salt to taste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.

15. Add in the garam masala and pav bhaji masala.

16. Add in the mashed potatoes. Mix well. Add in some of the water reserved from cooking the potatoes, as needed to adjust consistency.

17. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes till the mixture starts thickening. Stir intermittently. Stop cooking when it has thickened up, and is neither too watery nor too thick. Remember that the mixture thickens up further later.

18. Mix in lemon juice after the gas has been switched off.

19. Mix in the finely chopped coriander too. Your bhaji is now ready to serve. Serve it hot, with ladi pav toasted in butter, with chopped onion, coriander and lemon wedges on the side.

Top left, centre and right: Steps 11, 12 and 13, Centre left, centre and right: Steps 14, 15 and 16, Bottom left, centre and right: Steps 17, 18 and 19

How to make this Bhaji Pav recipe vegan and gluten-free

The bhaji here is made using oil and is completely vegan. To make the ladi pav vegan, use vegan butter to toast it.

This is an entirely gluten-free recipe. The garam masala and pav bhaji masala used here are free of gluten. However, if you are using store-bought garam masala and pav bhaji masala, please do check the ingredient list and make sure they comply with your dietary requirements.

Tips & Tricks

1. You can use any vegetables of your preference in the bhaji. In the 3 cups of mixed veggies called for in this recipe, I typically use a mix of cabbage, cauliflower, green peas, carrot, capsicum and beans. I think these veggies work well in Pav Bhaji, while I occasionally use vegetables like broccoli and sweet corn too.

2. Use as much water as needed to adjust the consistency of the bhaji. I normally reserve the water used in cooking the potatoes, for this.

3. I prefer using a mix of garam masala and pav bhaji masala. It gives a much better flavour to the Pav Bhaji.

4. Adjust the salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, pav bhaji masala and lemon juice as per personal taste preferences.

5. Many use chopped tomatoes in making the bhaji. I prefer using pureed tomatoes instead, as this gives the bhaji a much better texture, flavour and colour.

6. You can get the accompaniments for serving the Pav Bhaji ready while the bhaji is cooking – toasting the ladi pav in butter, chopping up onions and coriander finely, and chopping lemons into wedges.

7. I have used a little oil in the making of the bhaji. You can use salted butter too.

8. I have used home-made garam masala and pav bhaji masala from Everest here. Here is how I make garam masala at home.

9. I have used store-bought ladi pav here. You can buy a whole wheat version or bake them at home yourself, to make the Pav Bhaji healthier. You could use slices of regular whole wheat bread instead, too.

10. I prefer keeping the vegetables in the bhaji whole, instead of mashing everything into a paste as is quite commonly done in eateries. If you prefer bhaji that way, definitely go ahead and mash away!

Did you like the recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!