Masala Popcorn 3...our continuing series of wonderous secrets.

Masala Popcorn infers that this series may mostly be food related. It's not. But there will be a healthy share of food-related items.

Pav Bhaji is the food (one of many) of Bombay. An extravagance of vegetables mushed into a delightful bright red looking mush, accompanied with butter-soaked buns and some lime, green chillies and onions for good measure. Oh and the extra pat of butter just in case your heart wasn't feeling it. The veggie bit is the bhaji and the buns are the pav (interpreted so for my 'international' friends.)

Watching Pav Bhaji being made is another experience all together. The biggest "tava" (flat cast iron pan) you've seen in your life (I'm talking in the range of a 4 foot diameter) and a constant adding of veggies, mushing, tomatoes, more mushing, spices, more mushing and butter, even more mushing. A lot of muscle power goes into this dish. And just for the record, the buns come in pairs. Like twins. They are known as 'jodi' which means pair in Hindi.

Pav Bhaji. Aaaaah. Sunset on a plate.

Try making Pav Bhaji at home and it just never makes the cut. Not red enough no matter how much chilli powder or tomato you put in there, not spicy enough and I just don't have the courage to dunk butter at the volumes this dish requires. And frankly, I've tried ordering it at many local Indian places here and it just sucks.

No nothing quite compares to Pav Bhaji from ShivSagar or anywhere in Maharashtra for that matter.

But my discovery changes everything. The very way you look at life. I found a 'box' of Pav Bhaji in the freezer section of my local Indian grocery store. Yes it's frozen dammit. Not just the bhaji but the buns as well. I frowned upon this modernization of a truly Indian roadside/casual eatery culinary experience.

But I was desparate.

It's bloody good people! Made by the company 'Swad' this Pav Bhaji is red, red, red and spicy! The buns are tiny but pretty good! And if you need extra 'jodi' heat up some hot dog buns cut in half. A few minutes in the microwave and this frozen delight guarantees a piece of sunset. Not the full sunset on a plate deal but a pretty decent glimpse.

Highly recommended. Give it a try!