Mediterranean veg pav bhaji
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- over 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 6–8
This is Indian street food reimagined with a vibrant summer feel. Pav bhaji is a delicious meal for sharing and ideal for batch cooking as all the vegetables are roasted in one tin. It’s usually made in a pressure cooker with cauliflower, peas and carrots, but I love the summery flavours of this Mediterranean veg version.
Ingredients
For the bhaji masala
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 4 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed
- 1 heaped tsp dried fenugreek leaves, ground or rubbed between your palms
For the bhaji
- 2 large aubergines, cut into 1cm/½in chunks
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm/½in chunks
- 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm/½in chunks
- 3 peppers, cut into 1cm/½in chunks
- 2 large red onions, cut into 1cm/½in wedges
- 220g/7¾oz cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 1 garlic bulb, cut in half widthways
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tsp crushed fresh root ginger
- 1 tbsp salt
- 50ml/2fl oz light olive oil
- 50g/1¾oz salted butter
- 400g/14oz tomato passata
- 400ml/14fl oz hot water
For the pav
- 12–16 soft bread rolls or buns, split
- 75g/2¾oz salted butter
For the garnishes
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
To make the bhaji masala, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
To make the bhaji, place all of the vegetables and the garlic in a large roasting tin. Add the bay leaves, ginger, salt and oil and toss well to coat all of the ingredients.
Roast for 1½ hours, or until all of the vegetables have softened completely. If they start to brown too much, cover the tin with kitchen foil.
Take out of the oven and use protective gloves to carefully squeeze the garlic cloves from the bulb into the roasted vegetables and remove the tomato vines. Add the butter and use a potato masher to mash the mixture to a semi-smooth purée.
Add the bhaji masala to the mashed vegetables, then add the passata and hot water. Stir well, cover the tin tightly with kitchen foil and return to the oven for a further 45–50 minutes. Stir the mixture well halfway through the cooking time.
Remove the tin from the oven but leave the oven on. Use a potato masher to mash the bhaji again. The consistency should be thick but velvety and flowing. If it’s too thick, add more hot water and if it’s too thin, cook for a little longer. Keep warm.
To make the pav, spread the cut sides of the rolls with the butter. Place the rolls buttered-side up on two large baking trays. Bake for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden and toasted.
Sprinkle the vegetable bhaji with some of the garnish ingredients and serve hot with the toasted rolls and lemon wedges. Take the rest of the garnishes to the table for everyone to add more as desired.
Recipe tips
The total amount of vegetables in the bhaji should be around 2.2kg/5lb so feel free to swap in any other vegetables that you prefer or have in the kitchen.
If making ahead or batch cooking for the freezer, prepare the bhaji as directed and leave to cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Don’t add the garnishes at this stage, just prepare these when you want to serve it. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and heat through thoroughly before serving. You can reheat the vegetable bhaji in the microwave or in a saucepan, but ensure it is covered as it can bubble up and splutter. Serve with the freshly toasted buns and the garnishes as in the recipe.
