Mumbai Style Pav Making... I Am Getting There! Matkichi Usal N Malai Cookies

I have been craving for the pav that tastes exactly like the ones we get in Mumbai but in vain..so started baking from my fellow bloggers, as addictive as baking can be, I was no stranger to this bakodiction, got my measures to suit our tastes after several attempts! 

I stick to the measures below . 

Makes 15 pav ... Total time taken.. (15 mins for yeast + 15 mins kneading+ 2 hours rising time+ 25mins rising time + 12 mins baking)

Please adjust time 3 hrs ahead,  the time you  wish to have pav ready on table! 
Ingredients..
Active dry yeast : 1 1/2 tsp
250 ml warm water (mw on high for 40-50 secs)1 tbsp sugar (any would do..white granulated / brown demerara etc)
4 cups maida (all purpose flour) divided into 3 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup
2 tbspn extr.virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp salt (as per ur liking -this will turn out like mumbai pav in saltiness)

Method :

 Step 1. In a double sized bowl(capacity 500ml ) , combine sugar and yeast- pour the warm water over it, mix well with a spoon. Keep aside till it doubles up in volume, happens in around 10 mins -the more it foams, the better.

Step 2. In a big bowl, add 3 cups flour, add salt, extra virgin olive oil, combine well. Make a well in center, pour the yeast mixture, take some flour frm the sides n make a pasty mix with spoon. Then mix in the rest of the 3 cups flour along the sides into the paste and keep kneading, add the balance 1/2 cup, knead, then the rest 1/2C add little water if needed or even

 a tbspn of milk would do.

Step 3. Knead for ten mins till the dough is soft, smooth and pliable. Shape it round, apply some olive oil to the base n sides of the bowl, place this dough in center, apply little oil on surface of dough, cover with a kitchen towel or cling wrap..leave to rise in a warm area for 2 hours

Step 4. Once the dough has risen n is doubled up in size, hit it down, keep kneading till the bubbles n air has been punched out. Apply little oil on palms for this. Then divide into 14-15 round portions, golf ball sized.

 Step 5. Line a 12x5 tray, wth parchment paper, place the rounded dough touching each other, in a row, cover with towl n let it rest for approx 15-25 mins till it doubles up in volume. 

Step 6. Preheat the oven to 200C for 10 mins, (do this along with Step 5. to save on time)  reduce the temp to 180C and place this tray in for 10-12 mins, keep checking towards the end as oven temp varies. If you find the surface golden brown, its ready, or bake until it is.  

Step 7. Take it out, apply butter on top for glaze. Remove to wire rack and eat hot or cool it.
TIP : THE MORE THE DOUGH RISES IN STEP 5, THE BETTER IT BAKES GIVING A
SOFT N COTTON LIKE TEXTURE, PLUS IT MELTS IN MOUTH! SERVE WITH ANY OF YOUR FAVE CURRIES!

 These pavs got  a lovely height of almost 2" plus, as it rose for around 30 mins. Remember to keep it covered though.

This time it was with Matkichi Usal- Gravy Form, (needed for bread) from here.  

(Jayashree Mudaliar's@Sinful Indulgence)

I hv grown up with Usal as staple in breakfast for weekends, hence carrying forward the  tradition of weekend brunch with home made pav and usal!  Here is another variety of Usal with Whole Moong.

Try it with chapatis for dinner, gives a different taste altogether!  Thanks for sharing this simple and yet aromatic usal Jayashree.

Finally a sweet, this time around, MALAI COOKIES, the Oooh so yum n flavorsome from Divya's /Easy Cooking blog, inspired by Nita Mehta's book, which she made with home made collection of malai, and I lazily used the store tetra pack malai/Thick Cream.

Thanks Divu! Its best treat for kids!

Have a lovely weekend!! 

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Pav Bhaaji - Bombay Style, Rasmalai

Pav Bhaaji is one special dish which was devoured as a teenager on parties. Birthday parties, especially, were incomplete without the 'Shiv Sagar' Pav Bhaaji served in Borivili West. :D
Commenting behind a seated group, in a bid to procure seats for our group, was another recreation! :)

My mom and mil are thee thee best in making this yummy dish, recreating the magic at home!

This is the very first time I attempted making 'Pav' at home as well.
I yet have to bake Anjali's/Annaparabramha MUMBAI pav recipe.
(the links that I followed are Jugalbandi- here, A Whirl of Aromas -here ) .
From Vini, got a link to breadworld dot com, the recipe is here. Thats what I followed, the glaze I followed Vini's butter glaze tip.

So here is the recipe for Pao / Pav.

PAV/PAO

Ingredients :

2 1/2 cups maida /all-purpose flour 
2 tbspn sugar 
1 tsp salt 
1 sachet Instant Yeast (SAF-brand-11gms)
1/2 cup milk 
1/4 cup water 
2 tbsp soft butter 

soft butter for glazing

Method :
In the bowl with mixer attachment combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Heat the butter, milk, water until warm -temp 120-130F. Attach the hooks for kneading, add the liquid little by little and beat for 2 mintues on a medium speed, keep scraping the sides. (Donot skip the 'beat-4-2-mins' step-I found dough more elastic due to this step. ) Add the remaining flour (1 1/2 C) and knead for 8-10 minutes into soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth, resting time - 10-15 mins.
This would rise after the specified time. Line a sheet with parchment paper, divide the dough into 10 round balls, arrange with little space on the lined sheet, cover again with the damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes to rise. The dough balls should be double in size, if not leave for some more time, instant yeast works fast. I got mine ready in 40 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 400F for 10-12 minutes or till it browns lightly on top. (My setting, 180C/10 mins- then removed and brushed each of these with soft butter.)
Remove from baking sheet and IMMEDIATELY transfer to wire rack for cooling. (Anjali's tip - If you leave it on the baking sheet, the bread will sweat.)




We have lovely Pav here, mine got more tanned! :D But a very good experience and tasted good!

Served it with PAV BHAAJI- my mil's recipe.

Ingredients :

Vegetable Oil
3 medium onions
3 large tomatoes
2 green chillies
1 inch ginger chopped finely
2 large cloves of garlic chopped finely
2 Cups frozen mixed veggies(or 1/2 C peas, 1 big carrot, 100 gms french beans -topped,trimmed and broken to one inch length)
100 gm cauliflower
1 medium capsicum
2 large potatoes
2 tsp soft butter
salt
haldi/turmeric powder
1 tbspn Everest Pav Bhaaji Masala
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
3 tbspn coriander leaves-garnishing
1 tsp butter per person (less or more for garnish/skip)

Method :
Wash and cook the potatoes, carrot, beans, peas,capsicum and cauliflower upto 3 whistles with quarter quantity of water, salt and haldi.
In a kadhai, heat oil, fry the sliced onions till transculent, cool, grind to paste, keep aside.
Add little oil, add chopped tomatoes, stir in between, till mushy and leaves the sides of pan. Cool, grind. Keep aside.
Take a heavy bottom kadhai, heat a tbspn of oil (or less) add the ginger garlic , saute till light brown, add green chilies, add the onion paste, saute for a minute or two, the tomato paste and mix in well. Add the pav bhaaji masala, red chili powder and garam masala and mix well. Allow to simmer. In the meanwhile, take the boiled veggies, drain excess water, they will be in shape, perfectly cooked. Mash them with the back of a spatula and add to the simmering paste, mix well. Let the entire mixture now simmer for around 4 -5 mins on a low flame. Add little soft Amul butter, salted version for that yum taste, garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Amul butter roasted Pav. (Apply butter to the sliced pav, roast for around two minutes till it is bit crisp- Indulge n Enjooyyyyyy)

Mitha Ho Jaaye --

I had made Rasmalai from Namratha's blog - recipe here-- just love it every time I make it!

RASMALAI

This sweet and as I mentioned above the 'Birthday Party' treat is a "Special Birthday Wish" Post for a very very dear Food Blogger and friend of mine, MEERA-Enjoy Indian Food!

HAPPPPPPYYYY BIRTTTTHHHHHHDAYYYYYY MEEEEEEEEEERAAAAAAAAA!

HUGS, LUV N GOOD WISHES TO YOU N YOUR LOVELY BLOGS (480+ posts already in EIF and EWF -all healthy and nutritious!) WHICH TURNED ONE!!



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