Mumbai is probably better known for its Pav Bhaji than Gateway of India or its crowded beaches. Pav Bhaji, that is `Bread with Vegetables' literally, has put Mumbai on the gastronomic charts of India through `Bombay Pav Bhaji' stalls in most cities. Pav Bhaji stalls are famous and popular all over India and has resulted in this spicy treat being exported to most Indian restaurants all across the globe.Pav Bhaji is all about street-corner cooking, and street-corner cooking is not just cheap and exciting but fascinating to watch as well. Pav Bhaji is easily the most popular of street foods and every frenzied food stall in the city's working quarters, offers this mini meal. Be it Sardar Pav Bhaji at Tardeo or Maruti Pav Bhaji at Vile-Parle, each Pav Bhaji stall has its own loyal clients who would travel any distance to taste the power of mystical spices and herbs cooked to perfection with a medley of vegetables. It is often difficult to ascertain as to who should be declared the king of this trade as there are more than a dozen Pav Bhaji stalls in Mumbai that witness endless queues of people. Pav Bhaji is a spicy mix of cauliflower, capsicum, peas, potatoes, tomatoes and could contain every conceivable vegetable grown in Maharashtra. The vegetables are cooked in large pats of butter over a large flat iron griddle and garnished with coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Rich with aroma of spices, the bhaji is served along with tiny loaves of bread called Pav. Pav can be had plain, grilled with butter or with butter and chillies. Even today, Maska Pav is the most popular accompaniment to the bhaji. Most people shed all their inhibitions and relish Pav Bhaji at most nondescript places. In Mumbai one does not have to travel far for it, practically every street has push-carts serving the speciality.Cooking Pav Bhaji is an art and this can easily be acquired if we keep certain things in mind:* Use fresh ingredients, including vegetables.* Do not compare your Pav Bhaji with what is available at a particular stall. As more often than not you prepare Pav Bhaji as per your taste and keep your personal preferences in mind while cooking.* Colour of Pav Bhaji should be quite red; to achieve this, use a lot of ripe bright red tomatoes and good quality Pav Bhaji masala. In case you make your own Pav Bhaji masala, use Kashmiri or Deghi chilli powder.* Cook vegetables thoroughly, and mash it.* Pav Bhaji should not be prepared in advance and then reheated. Reheating Pav Bhaji loses its characteristic flavour, colour and taste. However, vegetables like potatoes and green peas can be boiled ahead of time and then used as and when required.Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is working as executive chef at Centaur Hotel, Juhu and also hosts a weekly cookery show, Khana Khazana on Zee TV
