Street Style Pav Bhaji
This recipe for street style pav bhaji is based on the versions my husband remembered eating in Mumbai. It's delicious, buttery and full of flavor.To make this recipe vegan--replace the butter with your favorite vegan butter substitute. I recommend Earth Balance. You will also need to use a vegan dinner roll instead of the Kings Hawaiian rolls.
Ingredients
Bhaji [Mashed Vegetable Curry]
- 1 large potato- peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup cauliflower- cut into small pieces
- 2 large carrots- peeled and diced
- 10 tbsp butter, divided cut into 2 tbsp. portions
- 1 medium green bell pepper (capsicum)- diced
- 2 roma tomatoes- diced substitute 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes-I like fire-roasted
- 1/2 cup green peas (I use frozen sweet peas)
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste (fresh would be ideal!)
- 1 1/2 tbsp ginger paste (fresh would be ideal!)
- 1 medium onion, diced red or white works fine
- 2/3 tsp. turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala, more as needed for flavor (I used a pre-made spice mix, available at Indian grocers or online)
- 1 tsp paprika- for color, optional add more as needed/desired
- 1 small handful fresh coriander (cilantro)- chopped leaves and stems
- chili powder- to taste
- 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- 1/4 tsp 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (Juice of 1/2 small lemon)
- 4 cups water (including water reserved from boiling veggies)
Pav (spiced buns) Recipe:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small handful of chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and stems
- 1 tsp pav bhaji masala
- 6 Dinner rolls, cut in half Kings Hawaiian Dinner Rolls, or similar style buns/rolls--we also love the Aldi Brioche buns. We like that they impart a bit of sweetness.
Instructions
Bhaji [Mashed Vegetable Curry]
- Put the potato, cauliflower and carrots into a medium sized sauce-pan. Add water to the pan and put over medium-high heat. Allow the water to boil and cook the vegetables until they are very tender and the potato can easily be cut into. Drain. (reserve the water and use it to thin the curry later). Mash the vegetables and set aside. I like to use a potato ricer to do this. If you don't have one, the back of a fork or a more traditional potato masher works fine.
- In a large skillet or fry-pan heat 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Once it melts, add green bell pepper, tomatoes and peas. Toss in a little water and stir everything. Cook until the pepper becomes soft and the tomatoes break down--adding water as necessary (to keep veggies from sticking). About 8 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp. ginger and 1 tbsp. garlic pastes, turmeric, and 2 tbsp. of butter. Cook, stirring constantly for approximately 3 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the tomato mixture (it might still be a little chunky--that's okay!) and add a little more water (you don't need much). Bring to a boil.
- Add another 2 tbsp. of butter, 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala, 1/2 tsp. salt and chopped cilantro. Let this cook for a minute or so then add a little more water (just to keep things from sticking). Keep mashing and cook until all the veggies are very tender.
- Add mashed potato mixture and continue to mash everything together. Once the mixture begins to get a little dry, push it to the sides of the pan and create a well in the center. The mixture should stay on the edges of the pan, if not, keep cooking to evaporate more moisture.
- Inside of the well, Add 2 tbsp. butter, chopped onion, 1/2 tbsp. ginger paste, 1/2 tbsp. garlic paste, chili powder, 1 tbsp. pav bhaji masala, fenugreek leaves, asafoetida, paprika and lemon juice. Cook until the onion becomes soft--but not brown--and the spices are fragrant.
- Stir everything together, add a little water to keep the mixture from sticking, and mash until the vegetables become almost like a paste. There should be a few little chunks; but you should not be able to easily distinguish the vegetables from one another. Add 2 tbsp. butter and stir. Add water, if needed, to reach your desired consistency. Taste for salt and add as required.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, raw onions, wedges of lemon and spoons with a little blob of butter.Serve with Pav (buns) that have been cooked with butter and spices (see recipe below)
Pav (spiced buns) Recipe:
- Add 2 tbsp. butter to a large skillet. Once it melts, swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle 1 tsp. pav bhaji masala to the pan along with a small handful of chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves--be sure to sprinkle evenly across the pan.
- Add the buns to the skillet--cut side down. Move them around a little so each piece gets some butter mixture on it. Allow to toast over medium heat for a minute or two.
- Flip the buns and let the top/bottom toast for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and pair the top pieces with the bottoms.
Notes
The bhaji freezes very well too--making it easy to keep some of this delicious vegetarian meal on hand!