Pav Bhaji - Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

No Indian home is complete without its own spice mix. Each dish, from curries to subzis, needs a unique mix of spices and herbs called a "masala." One such masala mix is the pav bhaji masala. Pav bhaji is a dish that was first made for mill workers in Mumbai. It is one of the most well-known foods in the city, and there are many ways to make it.

What is Pav Bhaji?

Pav bhaji is a famous street food from Mumbai that is now crazy popular all over the country because so many people want it. Many people say that this delicious dish dates back to the 19th century. People think that back then, when textile mill workers needed food fast, they cooked seasonal vegetables in large iron tawas by mashing, breaking, and mixing them with spices and a lot of butter. The hot curry was then served with buttered pav.

What is Pav Bhaji masala?

The most important part of the popular Mumbai street food pav bhaji is the pav bhaji masala recipe. In the pav bhaji recipe, it is used to add flavour to the masala, also known as the mashed vegetable curry. Basically, the Pav bhaji masala powder recipe is a mix of many different spices that is easy to make at home. Even though pav bhaji masala is easy to find in stores, the home-made pav bhaji masala powder recipe takes the taste and flavour of pav bhaji to a whole new level.

In different parts of India, this pav bhaji masala recipe is made in different ways, with different amounts of each spice. But almost all of the ingredients for masala are the same. Only a few spices are different.

Ready-made Vs home-made Pav Bhaji masala:

Ready-made pav bhaji masala powder is easy to find in grocery stores and shops. However, the recipe for making pav bhaji masala powder at home is very different from the ones you can buy. It smells much better and is much healthier than ones that are already made. Once you make masala at home, you won't ever want to buy it again. The recipe for pav bhaji masala is one of the most versatile and fragrant spice blends. It tastes best in pav bhaji, but you can also use it in sabzi, bhaji, curries, rice dishes like tawa pulao, and a lot of other dishes.

The recipe for homemade pav bhaji masala powder is very quick and easy. It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to make. Any Indian grocery store will have all the ingredients you need to make this fragrant masala.

Tips to prepare perfect Pav Bhaji at home:

• It's very important to use spices that are clean and of good quality.
• To dry roast spices, always use a pan with a heavy bottom, like a Tawa, Kadai, or fry pan.
• Make sure there is no water in the tool, and don't put the spices in the pan with wet hands.
• Always use a medium low to medium flame to roast the spices. Don't roast it over a high flame, or the spices will burn and the inside won't get roasted.
• If you don't stir the spices often while they are roasting, they won't roast evenly.
• Let the mix of spices cool all the way down to room temperature before grinding.
• If you are making a lot of masala, it is best to dry roast each spice separately because each spice takes a different amount of time to roast.

Ingredients used to prepare Pav Bhaji masala:

• Whole spices: All of the whole spices—cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, star anise, and nutmeg—are very important to the taste of the pav bhaji masala powder. Try not to leave out any of the spices if you want the spice mix to smell just right.

• Kashmiri dry red chilli: This is an important ingredient for making dabeli masala. Kashmiri red chilies give the masala taste, heat, and a bright red colour.

• Kasuri methi: It gives the masala an earthy taste.

• Black salt gives the masala a nice flavour and salty taste.

• Turmeric powder: It gives the masala a nice flavour and colour.

• Amchur powder: It gives the masala a tangy taste and a unique taste.

• Kashmiri red chilli powder: This gives the masala a nice colour without making it too spicy.

How to prepare Pav Bhaji masala at home?

To make the pav bhaji masala powder, you need to dry out a heavy-bottomed pan over a flame. When the pan is hot, put in the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, star anise, nutmeg, and dry Kashmiri red chillies. Roast them over a medium flame for 4-5 minutes, or until the spices smell nutty. Stir all the time. The spices will change a little bit in colour.

Break the bay leaf to see if the spices are done or not. If it gets crunchy and cracks when you break it, the spices are ready. Turn off the fire. Put the kasuri methi in the pan and stir it well. It gets browned in a hot pan and also makes the masala a little less spicy. Set the pan down and wait until the masala is completely cool before grinding it.

Add turmeric powder, black salt, and dry mango powder to the grinder jar with the roasted spices. Close the jar's lid and pulse it until it becomes a fine dust.

Health benefits of Pav Bhaji masala:

Pav Bhaji Masala has a lot of sodium, so it's a great idea to add it to foods that are bland and don't have many other flavours. People with anaemia can benefit from the high sodium content, which helps keep their blood pressure at the right level.

Another benefit of using Pav Bhaji as a seasoning is that the sodium in it is important for keeping the amount of water in our bodies in balance. It also gives our muscles the support they need to work well when they contract.

Lastly, Pav Bhaji Masala might be good for your nervous system. Again, the sodium in it is important for keeping your nerves in balance. This makes it easier for nerves to send nerve impulses, which keeps your nerves in good shape.

How much Pav Bhaji Masala you should eat depends on the cuisine. Just don't put too much seasoning on your food.