Pav Bhaji is a street food classic and a favourite in almost any Indian household. It is comprised of a thick vegetable curry cooked in warm spices served with a warm buttered soft roll.
Here I’ve taken this quintessential dish and combined all components and added heaps of cheese for extra flavour (I used violife epic which make perfect cheesy strings).
The bhaji (vegetable curry) itself has been modified so it’s not too heavy, therefore not restricting the buns to rise around it.
The recipe for the rolls are the same as my soft bread roll recipe.
30 mins
+ 1.5hr proving
1hr
Makes 8 Large Rolls
Ingredients
1 Large Potato
130g Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
3 Curry Leaves
1/4 Tsp Asafoetida Powder
1 Tsp Ginger Paste
2 Green Chillies
1/2 Cumin Seeds
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 Cumin/Coriander Powder.
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1/2 Tsp Agave Syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
1 Tsp Himalayan Salt
2 Tsp Pav Bhaji Masala
150g Cheese (Violife Epic)
2 Tbsp Vegan Butter (for coating)
Handful of chopped coriander
Sprinkle of Sesame Seeds.
Rolls:
120ml Warm Water
240ml Warm Milk
50ml Melted Butter
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Himalayan Salt
1 Sachet (7g) Instant Yeast
580g Plain Flour
2 Tbsp Melted Butter (coating)
Method
Filling:
- Cut a large potato into quarters and boil.
- Meanwhile finely chop the green chillies.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds.
- Once they start to splutter add in the curry leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chillies and ginger.
- After the ginger starts to brown add in the frozen veg.
- At this point the potato should be cooked through, peel and mash.
- Once the frozen veg has cooked mix in the tomato paste.
- Add in the remaining spices; salt, Pav bhaji masala, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric and agave syrup.
- Mix well and sauté for a few mins.
- Add in the mashed potato and mix well.
- Once cooked through, set aside to cool.
- Grate the cheese and mix in when the filling is cool.
- Make 8 balls of the mixture, roughly 70g each.
Dough:
Using the same recipe as the soft bread rolls, make 8 rolls.
- Warm the milk and mix in the warm water.
- Melt the vegan butter and add that in.
- Add in the yeast and set aside to activate for 10 mins (make sure the milk is warm, if too hot it will kill the yeast).
- Mix in the sugar and salt.
- Gradually add in the flour, 100g at a time and knead into a soft dough.
- Place into a well oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth.
- Place in a warm place to prove for an hour, alternatively in an oven at 50C for 1 hr.
- Take out of the oven and punch down.
- Remove from the bowl and divide into 8 balls.
Assembly:
- Stretch the balls out flattening them.
- Place a filling ball in the middle and bring the sides together.
- Seal and place on a lined baking tray.
- Repeat until all eight are made. Place with enough distance between them to rise.
- Lightly oil the tops.
- Cover with a damp cloth and prove for 30 mins.
- Remove the cloth, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake at 180C for 30 mins.
- Once baked, coat with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Serve warm for the oozing cheesiness.
