The Cascade Kitchen: Pav Bhaji

The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca. 

Pav Bhaji is more than just a lavish feast; among its vivid hues of various veggies lies a nutritional powerhouse. My mother would make this delicious dish to get me to eat more vegetables as a child. Packed with vital vitamins and minerals, this hot and spicy vegetable curry is a satisfying and healthy snack, and the easy preparation makes it a favorite for hectic study nights that satisfy all your midnight cravings .

Serves: 4-6

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Pav (dinner rolls)

1 medium-sized potato

1/2 cup cauliflower, finely grated

1/2 cup carrots, minced

1/2 cup broccoli, minced

1 large onion, minced

2 large tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup green beans, chopped

1/4 cup green peas

1/4 cup butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tbsp pav bhaji masala

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp red chili powder (adjust according to your spice preference)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Bring the carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and potatoes to a boil. When they become tender, mash them and set aside.
2. Heat a tablespoon of butter and the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and ginger-garlic paste. Cook on high heat for one minute.
3. Add the diced tomatoes. Simmer them on low heat until they are soft and the oil begins to separate.
4. Stir in the salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and pav bhaji masala till it’s thoroughly mixed.
5. Add the mashed vegetables, green peas, and chopped green beans to the pan and stir. Add some water if its consistency is too thick.
6. Continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on the consistency you’d like. Stir occasionally. 
7. While the mix is simmering, spread butter on each side of the pav and toast them in a frying pan until they are golden brown. 
8. Remove the mix and pav from heat. 
9. Now serve the bhaji (the “mix”) with pav on the side and top the bhaji with a dollop of butter and lemon juice. Enjoy!

Gauri Sethi

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Hello, I’m Gauri Sethi, a passionate staff writer at the Cascade responsible for writing content that resonates with the masses. Currently, I am pursuing business administration, but deep down, I am a person who loves expressing herself through writing.

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