(serves 2-3)
| Butter | 2 tbsp |
| Finely chopped onions | ½ cup |
| Finely chopped tomatoes | ¼ cup |
| Finely chopped capsicum | ¼ tsp |
| Garlic chopped/ paste | 1 tsp |
| Red chili powder | ¼ tsp |
| Salt | 1 ½ tsp |
| Cumin seeds | ½ tsp |
| Turmeric powder | A pinch |
| Pav bhaji masala | ½ tsp |
| Garam masala | 1 ½ tsp |
| Salt | 1 ½ tsp |
| Ladi pav/ any bread | 4-6 pcs |
| Lemon | 1 pc |
| Chopped fresh coriander | 2 tbsp |
Procedure
First slice all the pav or dinner rolls into equal halves and keep aside.
Rinse and finely chop onion, tomatoes, and capsicum (green bell pepper).
Also crush the garlic cloves, ginger and green chilies to a paste in a mortar-pestle. Keep aside.
Now take a medium or large sized tava (skillet) or a shallow frying pan.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. You can also use oil instead of butter. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add the crushed garlic paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
Add the finely chopped onions. Stir and mix well. Sauté the onions till they soften and become translucent. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium-low to medium heat.
Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, pav bhaji masala. You can add the pav bhaji masala as per taste. Stir and mix the ground spices very well with the onion-tomato mixture.
Now add the finely chopped capsicum and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt as required. Stir and mix. Add water and again stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a simmer on a medium-low to medium heat. Adding water softens and cooks the tomatoes. The mixture will thicken and reduce as it simmers.
Reduce the heat to a low and let the masala come to the consistency as shown in the photo below. There should not be a lot of liquids in the masala, as then this will make the pav soggy.
Bring the masala to one side of the tava or pan. Melt 1 to 2 tablespoon butter on the empty space in the center of the frying pan or skillet or tawa. Place the pav slices on the butter. Toast them lightly or you can just let them absorb the butter. You can toast more also if you prefer.
Turn over and toast the other side. If you want you can add more butter. Now place the prepared sautéed masala mixture on the pav halves evenly with the spoon or spatula. Place the pav on a serving plate.
In the same way, melt butter and toast the other pav as well, till all the masala is used up.
Garnish masala pav with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves and lemon wedges. Serve masala pav hot. Drizzle some lemon juice on the masala pav and savor them with your family or friends.