Paneer Pav Bhaji with homemade Pav Buns

umbai is famous around the world as the center of Indian cinema "Bollywood", what some do not know that it is also famous for its array of mouth watering street foods especially the chaats available at every street corner. Juhu beach, especially is the most famous hub - a very crowded place where you often find yourself wading through a sea of people with the sound of the waves crashing in the background often looking for the next yummy food stall that gets your attention among the numerous street food vendors lined up. No trip to this beach is complete without having those delectable chaats they serve there and possibly a healthy dose of pani poories, vada pav, batata, bhel. Watching the vendors mix up the ingredients and cook up your snack to order with sheer abandon - without a care in the world, while keeping a keen eye for anyone who needs that extra little chutney, is a pleasure by itself. These street foods have crossed boundries of the city (and even the country) and are found practically everywhere there is Indian food sold.
Pav Bhaji is another such road-side delicacy. It is a very easy and a kind of street food that is a wholesome meal in itself and relatively healthier (if you minus all the amul butter of course). It is basically kind of a stew a mix of different vegetables in a spicy tomato gravy with loads of butter and eaten with butter soaked pav bread which is used scoop up the bhaji--yum :) This is even served at fancy restaurants and even top chefs boast of having this in their repertoire. A great one pot meal especially with the overload of vegetables in it. Fussy eaters like it and eat up all the veggies mixed in the yummy bhaji.
Usually paneer is not used as an ingredient in the bhaji. I decided to try it out with it. After-all if you saw my Paneer Tawa Masala, when you can mix pav bhaji masala in paneer, why not mix paneer in pav bhaji - makes sense, right? It did to me and it made an already awesome dish abso'freaking'lutely fanstastic. If it was any proof for me, hubby said this is how pav bhaji was gonna be made in this household henceforth, with paneer!

Here's the recipe for my homemade Pav buns.The traditional pav bread as it is called ladi pav in India is a yeasty crusty bread with a soft texture inside. You can use the store bought dinner rolls but I prefer this homemade one.

Ingredients:

Potatoes .................................. 4 medium peeled and chopped 

Paneer .................................... 2 cups cubed and shallow fried

Cauliflower ............................... 1½ cups, finely chopped

Frozen Green Peas ...................... ½ cup

Carrots .................................... ½ cup, diced small 

Green beans .............................. 10 - 12

Bell pepper ............................... 1 small

Salt ........................................ to taste

Turmeric .................................. 1 tsp

Oil ......................................... 1-2 Tbsp

Butter ..................................... 2 tbsp or as needed

Cumin seeds .............................. ½ tsp

Hing (Asafoetida) ........................ a pinch

Red chilli powder ........................ 1-2 tsp ( I use Kashmiri red chilli powder)

Onion ...................................... 1 medium, finely chopped

Ginger-Garlic paste ...................... 1 tbsp

Tomato .................................... 2 large, chopped

Pav bhaji masala ......................... 2-4 tsp or to taste,

Coriander powder ....................... ½ tsp

Lemon juice .............................. 2 tsp or to taste

Cilantro ...................................1- 2 tbsp

Pav bread and butter as needed for serving

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker, add potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, beans, bell pepper, carrots, salt, turmeric and 2 cups water.
2. Pressure cook for 1 whistle and remove pressure after 5 minutes drain on a colander.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to sputter.
4. Add hing. Add Onions and cook for 2 min. Add salt and ginger-garlic paste, mix well. Cook for 4-5 min.
5. Add Tomatoes and mix well.
6. Cook until oil starts to separate.
7. Add Pav Bhaji Masala and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add vegetables and mash lightly. Cook for 4-5 min. Add butter and ½ cup water.
9. Add Lemon Juice and Paneer.
10. Cook for 5 minutes. Keep tasting and adjusting the gravy according to your liking.
11. Garnish with Cilantro.

To Serve-

1. In a non stick pan add some butter (generous amount :) and toast the bread in it till crispy and light brown . You can also sprinkle some pav bahji masala in it, tastes yum. Serve along with bhaji topped with finely chopped onions, lemon wedges and blob of butter  come on I know you can do it:)). ENJOY the heaven on the plate!
Notes:
1. Pav bhaji masala is easily available in any Indian store. I use the Badshah brand's Mumbai Pav bhaji masala.

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