Masala Pav- Shortcut to Pav Bhaji

 

Like many of you reading the title and unfamiliar with this dish, I was equally surprised when my brother ordered this dish from our local "Udipi" restaurant in Dadar. This was about 5 years ago. When the dish came it looked so messed up with the Pav stuffed with Bhaji and covered with Bhaji from all sides.My first reaction was better to have ordered Pav Bhaji why order something so messy.But my brother was hell bent on me trying this dish and one piece in the mouth and I became a fan of this dish.The taste is almost similar to Pav Bhaji as it uses the same Pav Bhaji masala, but this dish is quick to prepare and unlike the Pav bhaji which has lots of  vegetables like potato, cauliflower, peas, carrot, capsicum etc the Bhaji in this dish has only Capsicum and onions.The difference between a Pav Bhaji and Masala pav is that  in Pav Bhaji the bhaji and pav are served as separate dishes whereas in Masala Pav the Bhaji is sandwiched  in-between the pav and the pav is soaked in the Bhaji.It is a quick snack one can make anytime .The flavor of the dish like the pav bhaji is enhanced by use of butter. But since we all know butter can be unhealthy if used in large quantities I used oil for most of the steps and used  butter only in the last part during garnishing.So use butter as per your liking.

Ingredients
Small Pav - 2 (Small soft round buns or dinner rolls serve the purpose)
Onions 3 medium finely chopped
Green Capsicum - 2  finely chopped
Tomatoes 2 medium finely chopped
Tomato paste 1 tbsp
ginger garlic paste 2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp (adjust as per hotness preferred)
Cumin coriander powder 1/4 tsp
Everest Pav Bhaji Masala 2 tsp
Lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Butter
Oil -3 tbsp
Coriander chopped for garnishing
Sev for garnishing (Optional)

Method-
1. Heat oil in a pan , when hot add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste and saute well till raw smell goes away.
2. Now add chopped onion, capsicum and cook on medium gas till capsicum is almost cooked.
3. Now add tomatoes, tomato paste mix well and cook till the mixture become mushy.
4. Now add pav bhaji masala,cumin coriander powder, red chilli powder, salt and 1/2 tsp lemon juice and mix well.Cover and cook for 2-4 mins till all the favors mix together.Add 1 tsp of butter and remove from gas.(Add little water if the bhaji become too dry)
5. Now take a frying pan and put some butter on it (I used little oil) .Take the pav slit from the center and place it on the frying pan. Cook on both sides till the pav become soft.Cook all pavs in similar way.
6. For serving place one slice of pav on the dish and add some bhaji mixture on it.Add little butter and place the other slice of bread on top.Pour the remaining Bhaji on the top so that it covers the entire pav.
7.Pour little butter and garnish with coriander, sev and lime juice (if required).