Indian Street Food

It has probably been more than a year since I first came across mention of something called Pav Bhaji. The first word is pronounced "pao." It is a mushed up mixture of vegetables that is served on or with buns- and a huge pat of butter on top!
 

Pav Bhaji

When I think of India and breads, I envision lots of flat breads, or Naan, which can be made as a flat bread or made with yeast. Never, though, had I come across a recipe for something that looked like a common bun, as we know them in the U.S. When I saw this recipe, it intrigued me, and for a while I meant to try it out, and then, as with many things, it got buried, and I never got back to it. 

Recently I met a young girl who hails from Mumbai. Anyone from India is of great interest to me, because while I am fascinated with India, Indians, Indian food, culture, etc., I have never been to India, nor eaten anything Indian outside of a few restaurants, nor have I ever had the pleasure of eating at an Indian household. So while my Indian restaurant visits have given me a baseline idea of the flavors involved, I am far removed from actual firsthand experience. Yet I do cook things Indian all the time, because the flavors are exceedingly high on my list of "most amazing flavors." 

So after meeting this young Indian girl, I asked her out to lunch, so I could pick her brain and get ideas - more firsthand. We talked of many, many different foods, and she asked if I had ever tried an Indian street food called Pav Bhaji. Well!

Pav Bhaji just cooked

When I got home, I was busy that day and the next, but finally got around to unearthing all my notes on that dish. Yesterday I put them into action. The dish consists of various parts. The vegetable dish, the main event, is made of mainly potatoes, with other vegetables such as green peppers and tomatoes. Other vegetables that can be added are things like cauliflower and /or peas. And while I have read that carrots are never found in the actual street-vendors' dish, they can be added if making it at home. I always look for more, so I used all these vegetables in my dish. As for the vegetable part of this dish, it can be made into a puree or it can be simply mashed with bits left in it. This is up to your own taste. I chose to mash, not puree my vegetables.

The next part is making or buying a Pav Bhaji Masala. The ingredients in this mixture are similar, but have variances, in the many recipes I looked at online. The spices that seem most common in this mixture are black cardamom, coriander and cumin seed, cloves, cinnamon, tej patta (Indian bay leaf), black peppercorns, aamchur powder (dried unripe mango powder), dried red chilies. Other things added in some recipes are fennel seed, turmeric, powdered ginger, star anise, asafetida and even curry leaves. Of course, the amounts will vary in all recipes, but if you choose to make your own Pav Bhaji Masala, here is my recipe:

Pav Bhaji Masala

Makes about ¼ cup

4 black cardamom pods, seeds removed, pods discarded
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 dried red chili peppers (remove seeds for less heat), crumbled
3-inches cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 tej patta leaves (do not substitute Bay Laurel leaf), crumbled
----------
1 tablespoon aamchur powder
1½ teaspoon ground turmeric powder
½ teaspoon black salt (or regular salt)

Place the first 8 ingredients into a hot, dry skillet over medium heat and stirring quickly, toast until fragrant. Pour out in a plate to cool, then grind to fine powder, adding in the remaining three ingredients, mixing well. Store in a clean jar with tight fitting lid in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

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The third part of the whole Pav Bhaji experience is the bread. The bread is supposed to be bun-like, made without eggs. The buns are halved and dredged through melted butter with some of the Pav Bhaji Masala on a hot griddle, then served either alongside or filled with the vegetable mixture. 

I have not made the buns, yet. I was making two kinds of breads yesterday, and did not have the time to make a third type of bread, but I will get to those at a later date. In the meantime, I (gasp!) bought some whole wheat dinner rolls to accompany the veggie mixture. 

The Pav Bhaji is then served with a pat of butter melting on top, chopped red onion and a wedge of lemon or lime on the side, as well as a green chutney. I had no green chutney made, so I went ahead without. For the first time, it was fine, as I wanted to really taste what this dish is like, without other distractions. All I can say is AMAZING! I loved this dish. I have no problem eating a vegetarian meal, and this was excellent.

Pav Bhaji

 

Pav Bhaji

Serves about 4

2 cups potatoes in small cubes (½-inch)
1½ cups green pepper, chopped small
1½ cups cauliflower, chopped into small bits
½ cup carrots in tiny cubes (about ¼-inch)
½ cup peas (I used frozen)
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½ - 1  (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons Pav Bhaji Masala
2 teaspoons Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek herb)
1 teaspoon Indian red chili powder (powdered chili peppers)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped
--------
1 - 2 tablespoons oil or butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
2 green chilies, minced (omit seeds for less heat)
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4 buns, halved
butter, for buns
butter, to serve
red onion, chopped, for garnish
lemon or lime wedges  
Green Chutney

Place the first 5 vegetables into a saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft and can be smashed without resistance.  If there is still a lot of water in the pan, drain off some of it, but some water should remain. Use a potato masher or a glass and smash the vegetables into a chunky mash.

Add to the pot of smashed veggies the tomatoes (amount is up to you), the Pav Bhaji Masala, the Kasoori Methi herb, Indian chili powder and salt and stir in. Stir in the cilantro.

In a skillet over medium low heat, saute the shallot, garlic, ginger and chilies in the oil until the mixture just turns golden, then pour this into the pot with the vegetables. Stir well.

To serve: Halve Pav Bhaji buns or dinner rolls. Melt some butter into the skillet and sprinkle in some of the Pav Bhaji Masala powder. Dredge the cut side of the buns in this butter mixture. Chop some red onion to serve alongside and set out lime or lemon wedges to squeeze over top. If you have some green chutney, serve this also. 

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Green Chutney (Dhania Poodina)

Green Chutney or Dhania Poodina

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
1 to 5 fresh Serrano peppers (remove seeds for less heat)
½ cup unsweetened coconut, optional
½ small onion or 1 large shallot
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup lime juice, more, if needed

Place all the ingredients in a powerful blender and puree completely. Store in refrigerator, tightly sealed and use the chutney within three days.  



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Happy St Paddy's Day with Irish Lamb Stew

Leprechaun hiding in mug

Yesterday I wrote about my adventure making Irish Brown Bread, or Soda Bread. I am so very pleased with the outcome of that recipe, and plan to repeat it, trying out a few other things; one most notably, the use of barley flour in some amount. That aside, today I am making an Irish type of lamb stew, for a tip of the hat to St. Paddy's Day.

As I wrote yesterday, when looking at a new recipe, most particularly one from a specific ethnicity, I try to get all the information about the background as possible before actually creating a recipe. I may or not accede to all the strictures, but I make my decisions from an informed standpoint. Hopefully. Again, looking up traditional recipes and background, I learned that firstly, the traditional meat is mutton. The peasant Irish would have kept the sheep until other uses were no longer viable (milk, wool) and then the animal might be butchered, and voila, mutton. Nowadays, mutton is hard to come by, so the most selected meat to use is lamb shoulder. I only had access to what is available in my freezer. Either I cut up another leg of lamb, or use the stew-type cut called chislic in these parts. Unfortunately, chislic comes with an excessive amount of fat, so I spent time cutting as much off as possible.

In general, recipes for Irish Lamb Stew abound. There are recipes from many famous chefs as well as others like me, writing a blog and learning. Many of the recipes I read online called for using a dark beer such as Guinness Stout for some, if not all, the cooking liquid. I thought, "What a great idea!" And then when I came to read some admonitions about what an Irish peasant may have done long ago, using beer in their stew was absolutely not done. Much like with using butter in the Soda Bread, where the thought was that they'd rather slather butter on the finished bread than waste it in the recipe - the same goes for beer. Beer in the stew? Heavens no, they would rather drink it, when available. It seems that a true authentic Irish stew is made with mutton, onions, potatoes and water. The additions of barley and/or carrots is argued to give the "wrong" flavors. Oh well. While I like to adhere to basics as much as possible, I do like carrots and barley, so I opted to use them.

Irish Lamb Stew and Brown Bread

Up until this morning, I still had not set down definite amounts for the stew. When I make a stew of any kind, more often than not I am tossing things in until it looks "right" to me. I make a pile of something that seems a good amount, then measure it to write down the amounts. This is what I did with this stew. Another thing about traditional Irish Stew; the fat used. It is stipulated that the meat should not be fatty. Most old recipes do not call for browning the meat (I enjoyed this site and the information through the years), but instead layering it with onion and potatoes. I think I saw mention of a knob of butter somewhere in my reading, but generally, all the stew ingredients are placed into a pot, well covered and sealed and stewed slowly. I did use fat to brown the meat, dredged in flour. I do not often dredge meat in flour and had not initially planned to do this.

This required browning, and the only oil I keep is olive, which I do not believe would give a traditional flavor, much as I love olive oil! Browning in butter would just burn the butter, so I scrapped that idea. Instead, I used bacon fat. Maybe not traditional, but then neither is browning!  One thing that occurred while browning the dredged meat: a LOT of fond. It was so dark, though not - quite - burned, that when I added in a bit of water to loosen it up, it created the most beautiful, and beautifully fragrant, base for the stew. I added onion and garlic to this mixture and stewed them for about 20 minutes while prepping the other ingredients. The whole pot, once assembled, smelled heavenly.

Nicely thickened Irish Stew

If lamb is unavailable, beef stew meat can be substituted, by the way. The best pot to use is an enameled cast iron. It heats wonderfully and does not burn food easily.

I had planned to make a small pot of lamb stock to use as the liquid in the stew. And then I forgot. I had one bone from a leg of lamb just waiting in the freezer, so I pulled it out this morning and set it in a 375 degree oven for an hour to brown it. This bone I set into the center of the stew pot, to hopefully also lend its magical flavors. I am anticipating a wonderfully redolent pot of stew for dinner tonight, with some flavorful Brown Bread alongside.

My Irish Lamb Stew

Irish Lamb Stew

Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds lamb shoulder meat, or other lamb stew meat
½ cup flour, for dredging
1 teaspoon salt
few grinds of pepper
2 tablespoons bacon fat, or other oil
1 cup water or beef stock
1 large onion, cubed
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups celery, sliced
1½ cups peeled, sliced carrots
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup long-cooking barley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
more pepper if desired
5 cups water or stock
2 pounds potatoes

All done!

Preheat oven to 275 degrees, or whatever temperature will maintain a low simmer. Cut the meat into chunks, if it is not, already. Mix the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt and some pepper and dredge the meat in this mixture. Heat an enameled cast iron pot (preferable, if available) over medium high heat and add in 1 tablespoon of oil or bacon fat. Brown half the beat, removing to a plate. Brown the second half of the meat and remove to the plate. Add 1 cup of water or stock to the pot and stir, scraping up the deep brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add in the onion and garlic and stir, allowing this to cook gently while prepping the celery & carrots. Once ready, add the meat back into the pot along with the celery and carrots. Add the parsley, barley, thyme, bay leaves, the extra teaspoon salt, more pepper if desired and the 5 cups of water or stock. Let the stew come to a gentle boil. Peel and cut into very small chunks one of the potatoes and add in. This is to help with thickening the stew. Cover with a tight fitting lid and set into the oven to cook slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Peel and cut the remaining potatoes into larger chunks and add to the stew. Cover and return the pot to the oven for at least another hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Too many ingredients? Maybe. This stew suited my husband and me just fine, regardless.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Using Panch Phoran and Other Indian Spices

Yesterday I blogged about fenugreek, or Methi, as it is often called, particularly in India. The use of the word Methi for fenugreek seems to have spilled out to many cultures and places these days. Fenugreek is not generally called for in standard US fare; neither the seed, leaf or dried leaf. It is one of those exotic spices that seemed to be inaccessible and unnecessary. I am curious to see if maybe next Spring I can plant some and see what the herb, or micro-greens are like.

Potatoes Panch Phoran, with fenugreek

These days however, most every spice is becoming available, including many that most have never heard of. I am sort of a spice-fanatic. I hear of a new (to me) spice and I just have to find it and see what it's like. So, I realize I do have more spices in my kitchen than the average person. In the upper middle of the US, where meat and potatoes still reign, salt and pepper are the most exotic spices some people use. I realize everyone has the right to their own personal taste, but I must say I feel sorry for what they miss. 

The Spice of Life

Panch Phoran Spices: cumin, nigella, mustard, fennel, fenugreek

Okay, so I take this phrase to a whole new level. I know. There are so many exciting flavors out there. Life is short. I am all about experiencing the new and different when it comes to food and flavor. Writing about Panch Phoran an Indian 5-Spice mixture, I wanted to try it with some roasted potatoes. I had toasted the spices when I mixed them, in the hopes that not only would the flavors be enhanced, but that the toasting would remove some of the bitterness of the fenugreek seeds. Toasting the seeds makes them easier to grind also, so I took 2 tablespoons of the Panch Phoran and used my mortar and pestle to lightly grind the mixture - not to a fine powder, but just so all the seeds were crushed.

Potatoes Panch Phoran

Potatoes Panch Phoran

Makes about 4 servings

4 -5 pounds potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 tablespoons Panch Phoran lightly ground
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 on Convection). The potatoes may be left unpeeled if desired. The size of the potato cubes will determine roasting time. Mix all the ingredients together in a zip-top bag and shake or otherwise move the potatoes around so all are coated with the spices. Pour the mixture out onto a rimmed baking sheet so the potatoes are all in one layer. Bake the potatoes for about 20 minutes. Using a spatula, toss the potatoes to get them in different positions and roast more evenly. Return to oven and roast for about 20 minutes more, or until they are tender all the way through and golden brown.

So Many Spices - So Little Time

When I talk of the spices I have amassed just because I love the Indian flavors, it boggles most peoples' minds. In some kitchens I have been forced to set some spices in bins and keep them in another room, as there is no place in the kitchen proper. I had one such bin just for Indian spices. In the house where I currently live, I have all my Indian spices in a drawer. Aside from the commonly know spices such as cinnamon (though many people do not realize that the standard "cinnamon" sold in the US is actually Cassia), cloves, ginger, cumin, coriander, mace, fennel, caraway, allspice, nutmeg, paprika, black, green white and pink peppercorns, cayenne, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, bay leaves and saffron, there are others less well known, and some that are rarely heard of unless, like me, you are somewhat fanatical about spices and Indian cooking.

Some spices that are becoming more available generally (even in such out of the way places as Aberdeen, SD) are things like star anise, cardamom, turmeric and fenugreek. But then there are quite a few spices that are not generally known or even heard of, unless you find a recipe calling for it. In this way I learned of spices shown at right such as asafoetida, carom seed, black cumin, black cardamom, dried fenugreek herb and nigella seed. 

ASAFOETIDA: 

Known as "hing" in hindi, this spice (which comes from the dried and ground resin of a root) smells abominably - until it is heated. Once it is added to a hot pan, the awful smell is gone and the flavor is magically transformed. It definitely adds an onion/garlic flavor and aroma. It is often paired with turmeric in Indian cuisine. Its supposed aid in anti-flatulence makes it welcome in lentil and vegetable curries.

CAROM:

Known as Ajwain/Ajowain/Ajwan in Hindi, these miniscule fruit pods (often mistakenly called seeds) pack a real punch in the flavor department. They taste similar to thyme as they have thymol, but are highly pungent and more bitter. Used sparingly these little pods/"seeds" are often used to sprinkle on breads such as naan or mix into dough for samosas or Indian breads. It is often added to vegetable and lentil dishes.

BLACK CUMIN:

Called Kala Jeera or Shah Jeera in Hindi, these very fine, black seeds are longer than regular cumin. These seeds are rarely seen outside India, so finding them is sometimes tricky. They are confused with and sold as nigella, but nigella is a completely different plant. To make matters even more confusing, it seems to be translated into English as "caraway." When I hunted for a translation, it was given as shah jeera or kala jeera. (Shah means "royal" and "jeera" means cumin. Kala means Black. So it is Royal or Black Cumin.

Black cumin is somewhat similar in shape to regular cumin, but that is where the resemblance ends. It is most often left whole, sometimes used to top Indian breads. Its lemon/anise flavor adds dimension to most any Indian dish from soup to meat, lentil dishes and vegetable.

BLACK CARDAMOM:

Black cardamon, know as Badi Elaichi in Hindi, is completely unlike green cardamom in flavor. The plant is related, but black cardamom pods are far larger than green cardamom and the flavor is heavy; camphorous and smoky. It would never be used in bakery sweets as is green cardamom. It is more suited to heavier meat dishes, as it could overwhelm a delicate sauce. After smelling black cardamom, a friend thought it would pair well with the earthiness of mushrooms - which it does.

FENUGREEK HERB:

Fenugreek is known as Methi, applying to the whole plant. When used as the dried leaves, it is often called Kasoori Methi. While the fenugreek seeds themselves smell rather like maple syrup, the dried leaves of the plant retain a small amount of these same flavors and are best added toward the end of cooking to give a little flavor boost. The flavors of this herb combine well with root vegetables like carrots, yams or potatoes. It is also good in small amounts added to curries and dishes with tomatoes.

NIGELLA:

Nigella, often mistakenly called onion seed, is also most often confused with black cumin, to which there is no resemblance. Known as Kalonji in Hindi, these seeds have a pungently bitter black pepper-oregano taste and smell. It is often used to top Naan breads before baking. It is one of the spices in the Indian Five-Spice mixture called Panch Phoron. They have a nut-like somewhat peppery flavor, best brought out by toasting or cooking in oil.

I hope this list may induce some to seek out these new and interesting flavors. Anyone at all interested in Indian cuisines should certainly look them up. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest. 

Two Quick and Simple Potato Side Dishes

My husband is a staunch "meat and potatoes" Midwesterner. I love my meat and potatoes too of course (I am also a midwesterner by birth), though I am very happy with many dishes my husband won't touch. Potatoes, being a part of that wonderful duo, play a large part in our meals. My husband has most fond food memories of his Dad preparing potatoes in a pan to accompany burgers on a Saturday night. I never ate my father-in-law's potatoes, but judging from descriptions and demonstrations, I get the sense that he cut the potatoes in large slices and cooked them in fat of some kind with a lid on for part of the time at least, and adding water to help them steam. My husband has prepared these in the past to show me how, and he would use the spatula, while turning browned sides upwards, to chop, chop away, so the potatoes end up as a sort of hash. As a matter of fact, his idea of hash is cutting up leftover meat and adding it to the cooked potatoes to heat through. No gravy, no anything at all to give flavor - except ketchup smothering the whole meal on his dish.

15-Minute Pan Potatoes

Over time, while I have tried to make his potatoes, I don't like to have to stand at the stove with thickly sliced potatoes, trying to get them cooked through. My method differs a bit in that I prefer to slice the potatoes quite thinly, and in smaller, quarter rounds, so they cook quickly and evenly. This also means I don't need to chop, chop away to get them smaller as they cook. My method takes about 15 minutes of cooking, total. He accepts my version gladly enough, so I see no reason to make something that takes up more time and attention. I would prefer to leave the skins on, but he will not tolerate potato skins, so, alas, they are skinless. Here is my Pan Potatoes recipe:

Sliced thinly in quarter rounds

Pan Potatoes

Serves 2 - 4

1¾ to 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons oil or bacon grease
1 teaspoon salt

After about half the total cooking time

Once potatoes are peeled, begin heating a large skillet, preferably nonstick on medium or medium-high. Have a lid handy that will fit the pan. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Lay one half flat side down and slice it again lengthwise. Leave the two strips together and slice across, thinly. Repeat with all the potatoes. Place the oil or grease into the hot skillet,coating the pan evenly, and place all the potatoes into the pan. With a spatula, toss the potatoes well to coat them all with some of the oil. Cover the pan. Leave the heat on medium or medium high and cook for about two minutes. Uncover and toss the potatoes, so that much of the brown is now upwards. Cover and repeat at 2 - 3 minute intervals, tossing briefly each time to scrape up and expose the browned parts. The potatoes are cooked through at about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and toss well.

Another type of potatoes I have been making for years and years - again, which could be made with skins on if desired - are Oven Steak Fries. As mentioned, my husband loves potatoes, and aside from his Dad's Pan Potatoes, Steak Fries have always been a hit. I make my steak fries in the oven, and while they are not fat free, I feel they are less fatty than deep fried potatoes. These come together in under an hour, with only one interruption in the middle to turn them over. Get them going while your main dish is being prepared and you're all set.

Oven Steak Fries

Oven Steak Fries

Serves 2

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil)
salt as desired, to taste

In the baggie with butter and oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (375 on Convection). Melt the butter; I do this in a zip top bag in the microwave on very short bursts of 10 seconds or so. Add the oil to the bag and have it handy. Slice the peeled potatoes about 1/2 to 5/8-inch thick. End pieces can be left whole. Others, slice in half, or thirds lengthwise to make them about 1-inch wide. Place all the sliced potatoes into the zip top bag and seal. Move the potatoes around in the bag until all the potatoes are well coated. Have ready a large baking sheet with rim. Pour out the potatoes onto the baking sheet and arrange them so none are overlapping. Squeeze out the oil & butter mixture remaining in the bag over the potatoes. Bake them for about 20 minutes. They should have begun to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and turn all the potatoes over so the browned side is up. Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are nicely golden and cooked through. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

Potatoes on the pan in the oven

I hope these two methods for potatoes will help someone to get a meal on the table in a timely manner with minimal fuss. We both eat these potatoes very often, so I have perfected the methods for them for over 20 years. Neither method takes much time to prepare. One requires supervision for 15 minutes, the other only once in the middle of the approximately 40 minute baking time. Other spices could be used - just not for my husband's version! I have sometimes sneaked in a little shallot with the pan potatoes, but not often. Enjoy these methods at your leisure and season them to fit your needs.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.