Pav Bhaji

Ingredients

Boiled vegetables

• 2 potatoes (large, about 350 g, peeled, cubed 2 cm)
• 200 g cauliflower florets
• 100 g frozen peas
• 1 carrot (small, peeled, diced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Water to cover

Bhaji

• 80 g unsalted butter (plus more to finish)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion (large, finely diced)
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 1 green capsicum (deseeded, finely diced)
• 4 ripe tomatoes (finely chopped, or 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala (the dedicated blend, MDH / Everest / Catch - substitute: 1 tablespoon garam masala + 1 teaspoon amchur + ½ teaspoon kasuri methi if unavailable)
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder (gives colour without scorching heat)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 30 g fresh coriander (chopped)

To serve

• 8 pav rolls (soft milk bread; substitute: brioche buns or soft hot-dog rolls)
• 40 g butter (for griddling the pav)
• 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala (for the pav)
• 1 red onion (small, very finely diced)
• 2 lemons (cut into wedges)
• Extra coriander (chopped)

Method

Stage 1 - Boil vegetables

1. In a saucepan, combine potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrot, salt and enough water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes until everything is fork-tender.
3. Drain (reserve a cup of the cooking water).
4. Mash roughly with a potato masher (leave some texture, not pure paste).

Stage 2 - Aromatic base

1. Heat the butter and oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onion; cook 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies; cook 1 minute.
4. Add the capsicum; cook 4 minutes till softened.

Stage 3 - Tomato simmer

1. Add the chopped tomatoes; cook 8-10 minutes, mashing with the back of a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break down completely and the mixture turns a deep red.
2. Stir in the pav bhaji masala, Kashmiri chilli powder, cumin, turmeric and salt.
3. Cook 1 minute till the spices bloom.

Stage 4 - Combine

1. Tip the mashed boiled vegetables into the masala.
2. Pour in 200 ml of the reserved cooking water.
3. Mash and stir continuously over medium heat 10-12 minutes.
4. The bhaji should darken to a deep orange and thicken to a spreadable consistency.
5. Add more cooking water if it gets too thick.

Stage 5 - Finish

1. Stir in another knob of butter (about 20 g) at the end.
2. Off heat; squeeze in the lemon juice; fold in half the chopped coriander.

Stage 6 - Griddle the pav

1. Split each pav roll horizontally without cutting all the way through.
2. Heat 40 g butter in a wide flat pan with the 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala swirled in.
3. Lay the pav split-side-down in the spiced butter; press lightly.
4. Cook 1-2 minutes till the cut surface is golden and the butter has soaked in.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Ladle the bhaji into shallow bowls.
2. Top with a generous pile of diced red onion, more coriander, and a small cube of butter melting on top.
3. Pav on the side; lemon wedges.
4. Eat by tearing the pav and using it to scoop bhaji.