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Pav Bhaji

Along with plenty of buttery toasted buns, this makes a solid 3-4 meals for a family of 4. Some in the freezer is *amazing* the rainy day you decide to defrost and enjoy it.
You can find "pav" bread at Indian grocery stores, but hamburger buns or dinner rolls also work. Our favorite is brioche rolls.
Garnish is optional, but highly recommended. Though I was never one for raw onions, that is now my favorite way to enjoy it (along with lime and sometimes cilantro).
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
CourseBrunch, chaat, Dinner, Lunch
CuisineIndian, Street Food, Vegetarian
KeywordBrioche, Vegetarian
Servings16 servings

Ingredients

Bhaji

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, in 2.5 inch pieces
  • 5-6 small/medium red potatoes, in inch pieces
  • 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 big green pepper, finely diced
  • 5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 5 tbsp butter, divided
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 4-5 tomatoes diced small
  • 1 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 3 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala or more to taste
  • 1 pint frozen peas

Serve With

  • Brioche Rolls
  • salted butter to toast the buns

Garnish

  • red onion, finely diced
  • cilantro, chopped
  • lime wedges
  • butter

Instructions

  • Wash/chop/peel potatoes, carrots and cauliflower. Don't get too caught up in the amounts of each here.
  • Put the potatoes, cauliflower and carrots in a large pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, cover and set to high. When it reaches high pressure, reduce heat a bit and cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. (If using a regular large stock pot, expect to use more water, and more cook time for the vegetables to get soft.) Meanwhile, chop the green pepper into a small dice.
  • Heat a large sauté pan to medium, add 3 tbsp butter and when foaming subsides, sauté the green pepper, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes into a small dice and keep aside.
  • When the pepper is soft and begins to brown (can be 10-15 mins or more), add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Then add chili and turmeric, continuing to stir. After a minute, add the chopped tomatoes to the peppers and cook until it all begins to meld into one sauce, adding a bit of water if it begins to stick to the pan.
    Meanwhile, carefully open the pressure cooker and coarsely mash the cooked cauliflower-carrot-potato mixture with a potato masher, and keep aside, covered and warm.
  • When the pepper/tomato mixture is ready, add it to the pot of mashed vegetables and combine. When the mixture begins to boil, lower the heat and add Pav Bhaji masala and remaining 2 tbsp (or more!) of butter. Simmer for 5 mins and add peas. When it returns to simmer, taste and adjust salt, Pav Bhaji masala and butter as needed. Don't be shy about the butter!
  • Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. If you can let it sit for a while after that, you will be rewarded with added deliciousness for your patience. If you wait for the next day, it's next-level good.

Enjoy

  • When ready to eat warmed pav bhaji, prepare the toasted pav (they are best fresh and warm). Cut the rolls (if needed) as if you were making a sandwich. Heat a nonstick pan to medium, melt butter, and place the rolls cut side down onto the buttered pan, fitting as many as possible. Cook until it is toasted to a nice golden brown, twirling it a bit too evenly toast.
    Serve immediately with Jaiwant Naidu on the speakers, and garnished as noted.
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