Pav Bhaji

Method

1. boil15 min
   potato and cauliflower crush effortlessly with a spoon
   Boil or steam potatoes, cauliflower and peas until completely tender. Pav bhaji depends on a cohesive mash, so vegetables that are merely fork-tender remain lumpy and separate.
2. saute7 min
   onion and pepper soft and aromatic
   Melt half the butter in a wide pan and cook onion and bell pepper until soft, then add ginger and garlic. Cook until their raw sharpness disappears.
3. simmer10 min
   tomatoes collapsed and masala no longer tastes raw
   Add tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, turmeric and salt. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the mixture looks glossy; rushing this stage leaves a raw tomato flavor in the finished bhaji.
4. mash8 min
   vegetables integrated into a coarse creamy mash
   Add the tender vegetables and mash them directly into the masala. Work until the mixture is cohesive but not perfectly smooth, adding small splashes of water only if it is too stiff to move in the pan.
5. simmer6 min
   bhaji thick and spreadable, not runny
   Stir in two more tablespoons butter and simmer gently, scraping the pan. The finished bhaji should spread on a plate but hold a mound rather than flow like soup.
6. toast4 min
   cut faces of rolls golden and buttery
   Split the pav and toast the cut sides in the remaining butter until golden. Browning the bread gives contrast to the soft bhaji and helps it resist immediate sogginess.
7. season2 min
   rich masala balanced by fresh acidity
   Finish the bhaji with lemon juice and cilantro, taste for salt, and serve immediately with the hot buttered pav and extra lemon at the table.