"Fusion Cuisine"- Pav Bhaji Pizza

Pav Bhaji (meaning a mix- vegetable -spicy mash served along with buttered bread) is one of the most famous and favorite street foods in India. They have this big flat tava (pan), on which they make the Bhaji as per demand and toast the bread on 'ample' amounts of 'Amul' butter!!!! The combination is just mouthwatering! And 'eye' watering too ..due to the spiciness!
Pav Bhaji is 'M's favorite.Even now, when we visit India, he wants to eat the red spicy buttery Pav Bhaji with an 'extra' Pav Jodi! Whenever I make it at home, he tells me to make it enough for at least 3 meals.He can eat it everyday...if I decide to make it that often, that is!
So..it means many times I have Pav bhaji left over from previous meals. I decided to revitalize the leftovers and make this 'Fusion' pizza---- Pav Bhaji Pizza. Later I got to know that my 'innovation' came a little too late...a restaurant in California already has 'Pav Bhaji Pizza' on menu and my sister tells me, it is very common in Pizza joints in Pune! Oh well....may be someday I will really make some food innovation!

Pav Bhaji:
3 boiled potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1/4cup carrots finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup green peas+ 2 tbsp peas(boiled)
1 big onion chopped
3 red ripe tomatoes finely chopped/ tomato puree
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1-2 tsp Everest Pav Bhaji masala
1/4 tsp Garam masala
1-2 tsp Red chili powder
salt
oil
Butter(Amul if possible)
Veggies: Green beans, zucchini etc can also be added to make it more nutritious.
Method:
1) Pressure cook all the veggies. Mash them well.Grate/mash the boiled potatoes.
2) In 2 tbsp oil, fry the chopped onion til tender.Fry the tomatoes till soft and tender. Add the pav bhaji masala, garam masala, chili powder,salt,veggies and fry. Add little water to get desired consistency.
3) Top with butter.Add the 2 tbsp green peas for pop of color.
4) Serve with toasted bread nicely buttered. Garnish the Pav bhaji with chopped onions ,cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice.
5) Serve Hot!

Pav Bhaji Pizza:

1) Boboli Pizza base
2) 1 cup Pav Bhaji
3 ) 1/2 cup Onions and green pepper sliced vertically
4) 1/2 cup Pizza blend shredded cheese(mozzarella,, cheddar etc)
5) 3-4 tbsp Ketchup/Pizza sauce
6) 2 pinches ajwain/Oowa
7)Chopped cilantro

Method:
1) Spread the ketchup/ pizza sauce on the pizza crust
2) Top with Pav Bhaji, onions, green peppers, cheese, ajwain, cilantro

3) Bake at 400 F( or as per directions on Pizza base/crust) for 8-10 mins
4) Bake till all the cheese is melted and bubbly...and the base is crisp.
5) Broil for 2 mins to melt the cheese and get the golden brown color
5) Serve hot!

                                        Enjoy the 'Indianized' version of pizza!

"Everyday Cooking"- Vegetable Lo mein

After coming to US, I became a big fan of Food Network.After coming back from work in the evening my favorite show was '30 minute meals' by Rachael Ray. She 'put together' an entire meal in 30 minutes! Now,that is what a 'tired' girl wants after a long day at work...a quick, easy, fast cooked hot meal!!
Rachael uses 'Spaghetti' as Noodles for many of Thai and Chinese dishes. I liked the idea.No need to run to 'chinese' store to hunt 'Hakka' noodles and more important ......pastas are less sticky...so the Noodles come out perfect and non sticky..everytime!

Lo mein is a Chinese dish with wheat flour noodles. It often contains vegetables and some type of meat or seafood, usually beef, chicken, pork, shrimp or wontons. 

Ingredients:
4 'fistfull' of 'Thin Spaghetti' Pasta
1tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2cup Sliced Green pepper+ Red Pepper
1/2cup sliced Carrots
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped Green onions
1/4cup corn kernels
2tbsp Soy sauce
3tsp Maggie hot and sweet sauce
1/2tsp Sambal Olek(Red chili+garlic paste) optional
or
red pepper flakes
1/2tsp Black ground pepper
1tsp Roasted Sesame seeds
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Boil the noodles in ample water with salt. Cook till 'just' done.Do not overcook the pasta...it will get sticky.Stir occasionally.Follow the directions on the packet for how long to boil it(usually 8-10 mins)
2) Drain the pasta well and spread on flat dish. With oiled hand spread the pasta.
3) Meanwhile, in 3-4 tsp oil, fry the veggies on 'high' heat. We want to cook the veggies and still keep them crisp.Cook on high flame for only 2-3 mins.Do not over fry/ cook to make the veggies 'limp' and loose color.The veggies should be crisp and maintain good color.
4) Add the ginger -garlic paste and stir.
5) Add the noodles, sauces, black pepper, salt to taste (soy sauce is salty, so go easy on salt)
6) Garnish with chopped green onions and roasted sesame seeds.
7) Serve hot!!