मुंबईच्या रस्त्यावर चौका चौकात ठाण मांडून बसलेला गरमा गरम वडापाव. सर्वांच्या खिश्याला किंवा खिशे नसणाऱ्याला देखील परवडणारा. कधी कुणाच्या प्रेमात तर कधी कुणाच्या मैत्रीत मध्यस्ती करणारा. कधी आपलेपणा जाणवणारा, असा या गर्दीतलाच, काहीसा वेगळा आणि नाव घेताच जिभेवर रेंगाळणारा "मुंबईचा वडापाव" :)

Vada Pav don't need any introduction. Vada Pav, has iconic status in India specially in Maharashtra. Vada Pav is known as common man's food in Mumbai. This is one of the most humble street food of Mumbai.

Ingredients:
For Batata (Potato) Bhaji:
4 Medium size boiled Potatoes
6 - 7 Green Chillies
4 - 5 Garlic Cloves
1" piece of Ginger
2 - 3 Tablespoon Oil
7 - 8 Curry Leaves
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
Freshly chopped Coriander
Salt to taste

For Gram Flour Batter:
1 Cup Besan (Gram Flour)
1/2 Teaspoon red chili Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
Pinch of Baking Soda
Salt

Oil for deep Frying.

For Final Serving:
6 - 8 Pav
Fried Green Chilies (Optional)
Peanut/Garlic Chutney

Method:

Batata Bhaji:

Take a bowl and mash boiled Potatoes or you can cut into small pieces.
Grind Green chilies + Ginger + Garlic together and keep aside. Now heat oil in a pan, add Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Green chili, Ginger, Garlic paste and Turmeric. Saute it for a few seconds. Add mashed Potatoes and mix well. Saute this mixture for another 2 - 3 minutes. Add fresh Cilantro and mix well. Turn off the heat and let the Batata bhaji cool down completely.

Gram Flour Batter:
Take a bowl. Add 1 cup Gram Flour, red chili powder, turmeric, baking soda and Salt. Add  water as per your need, mix well and make it a smooth paste/ batter.

Batata Vada:
Heat enough oil in a Kadai for deep frying vada. Make Small balls from batata bhaji and add this into batter. Deep fry vada until it turns golden color from all sides.

Final Serving:
Take Pav, slice it into 2 halves. Put some peanut - Garlic chutney on the Pav. Place the hot Vada between the Pav. Serve Vada Pav with some fried Green Chillies.
Garma Gram Vada Pav is Ready.

Pallavi Mane

"Shengdanyachi Amti" or Peanut Curry  is a simple Maharashtrian curry that is made on fasting days.  This curry is made with roasted peanuts. Shengdanyachi Amti  is very easy to make and it needs only few ingredients. There are many ways to prepare Shengdanyachi Amti. Following is the method my mom use to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Peanuts
1 Small boiled Potato (optional)
3 - 4 Chopped Green Chillies
2 -3 Tablespoon Ghee
Salt as per your taste

Method:

Dry roast the Peanuts in a pan for 3 - 4 minutes. Once peanuts are roasted properly, turn off the heat and let them cool. Grind Peanuts coarsely. After that, heat ghee in a pan. Add green chili, boiled potato, and Peanut crush. Add 2 - 3 cups of water. Add Salt as per your taste.  You can add water as per your need.  If you want thick curry you can add less water.  Let it boil for 5 minutes.

After 5 Minutes turn off the heat and serve hot with Varai (Samo) Rice.

Pallavi Mane

"Vangyache Bharit" is a popular Maharashtrian dish made with roasted "Vangi" (Eggplant). The fire roasted eggplant gives a smoky flavor to the dish.
Now days we roast the Eggplant on the stove top, but in the good old days, the Eggplant used to be roasted on Charcoal fire and that really gives a good smoky Charcoal flavor to the "Vangyache Bharit"

Ingredients:

1 large Eggplant
1 large Onion, finely chopped
4 - 6 Tablespoon Oil
7 - 8 Curry leaves
2 - 3 Tablespoon Roasted Peanut Crush
1/2 Tablespoon Cumin seeds
1/2 Tablespoon Mustard seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 1/2 Tablespoon Red chili powder
1 Tablespoon Garam masala
Salt as per Taste
Fresh Coriander

Method:

Roast the Eggplant on flame or on top of the grill. Keep turning Eggplant after 2 - 3 minutes,  so it gets cooked evenly from all the sides.  It will take 15 - 20 minutes.
After that,  turn off the heat and keep Eggplant aside. Let it Cool.  Peel the skin and mash the Eggplant.

Heat oil in a pan. Add Curry Leaves, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Onion.  Saute it for 3 - 4 minutes.  Add Red chili powder, Garam masala and mix well together.  Add smashed Eggplant into the pan and saute all together for another 2 minutes. Now add Peanut crush, mix well and let it cook for another 3 - 4 minutes.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle some fresh Coriander.

Serve hot with Bhakri or Roti.

Pallavi Mane

Bhel is a Sweet, Savoury, and Spicy Snack/Chhat item.  It is made out of puffed rice, Farsan Mix, Onion, Tomato, Green Chutney (Spicy) and Tamarind Chutney (Sweet and Sour). This is a very simple and easy to make.  A dry version of Bhel popularly known as Sukhi Bhel.
There are many ways to prepare Bhel. You can add boiled Potatoes, Sprouts, Roasted Peanuts etc.

Ingredients :


3 Cup Plain puffed rice
1 1/2 Cup Farsan Mix
1/2 Cup Sev
1 Chopped Tomato
1 Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Roasted Peanuts (Optional)
Tamarind Chutney (Tamarind Pulp + Jaggery + 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder + Salt)
Green Chutney (Mint leaves + Green Chilies + Cilantro + Ginger + Garlic)
Fresh Cilantro

Method :

Take a big Mixing bowl. Add Puffed Rice, Farsan Mix, Sev, chopped Onion & Tomatoes.
Add Tamarind Chutney and Green Chutney as per your taste. Mix well together. Squeeze Some Lemon. Again mix all together.

For Final Serving :
Take Bowl/ Plate. Add the prepared mixture into the plate. Add more chopped Onion, Tomato & fresh Cilantro.
On top of that add extra Tamarind Chutney and Green Chutney.
Bhel is ready!!

Pallavi Mane