Thread by @CulinaryCultrCo

1/8 More nonsense is written about Pav Bhaji than about any other Mumbai dish. It was not invented as a meal for hungry mill workers. But yes there is a textile connection.

2/8 In the 1950s and the early 1960s, merchants would gather at the Cotton Exchange in the heart of Mumbai to wait for the daily New York cotton figures. Because of the time difference, these would only come in after midnight.

3/8 When the merchants left the Cotton Exchange they would always be famished.

Stalls selling pav bhaji opened near the Exchange to feed them. The dish was vegetarian because the merchants were mostly Gujaratis.

4/8 The use of lots of butter (first Polson and then Amul) made the dish more filling. The preference for bread (rather than puris or rotis) made it easier and quicker to cook the dish.

5/8 It wasn’t till the 1970s that the dish spread all over Mumbai and eventually became a city classic. It had started out as street food but because it was more expensive than say, bhel puri owing to the cost of the butter..

6/8 ..it soon migrated to restaurants and from there to other Indian cities. You get a version of pav bhaji everywhere now but for the real thing, you have to come to Mumbai.

Today, Mumbaikars are divided on where to get the best pav bhaji.

7/8 While some swear by Sardar pav bhaji, others prefer eateries such as Santosh Sagar pav bhaji, Amar Juice Centre, Shree Sidhivinayak Fast Food and Cannon pav bhaji.

8/8 Comment below and tell us your favourite pav bhaji places in your city!

📸Umesh Soni

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