Paneer Pav Bhaji
Paneer Patties stand as a swift and uncomplicated cottage snack, skillfully prepared using a handful of elements including Indian cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, cornflour, and an array of well-balanced seasonings.
Ingredients
For Cooking Vegetables
- 2 medium size potatoes
- 1 cup chopped cauliflower
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup peas – fresh or frozen
- ½ cup french beans, chopped – (optional)
- water as required for pressure cooking
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Butter or preferably amul butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, finely chopped or ⅔ to ¾ cup
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes, finely chopped or 2 cups
- 1 small or medium sized capsicum (green bell pepper) or ⅓ to ½ cup
- 2 to 3 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 or 2 green chilies , chopped
- 2 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder or freshly pounded 1-2 dry deseeded red chilies – the latter works much better and imparts a beautiful orange color to the bhaji
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.5 cups water or the broth or stock of the cooked veggies, add a required
- salt as required
- 1 cup grated paneer or small paneer cubes (cottage cheese)
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala(optional)
For Garnish
- 2 to 3 tablespoons grated paneer
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
- Boil all the vegetables except onions, tomatoes and capsicum in a 3 litre pressure cooker adding water just about covering the veggies.
- When the pressure falls on its own in the cooker then only open the lid.
- Strain the water from the vegetables and reserve the vegetable stock or broth aside.
- Mash the vegetables lightly and keep aside. Don’t make a puree.
- Alternatively, you can also mash when making the bhaji.
- In a frying pan or kadai or a large tava/griddle or skillet, add butter.
- When the butter melts, add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the chopped onions.
- Saute the onions stirring often till they soften.
- Now add the ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.
- Add chopped green chilies and saute for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and saute them stirring often till they become soft and mushy.
- Add the chopped capsicum. Now add the kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder and pav bhaji masala.
- Mix the spice powders well. Saute for few minutes till the capsicum becomes a little soft.
- You don’t need to make the capsicum very soft. A little crunch is alright.
- Now add the mashed vegetables.
- Combine the mashed vegetables well with the masala base.
- Add 1.5 cups of reserved vegetable stock or water. Mix well. Keep on stirring and let the bhaji gravy simmer for 7 to 8 minutes till it thickens to a medium consistency.
- If the gravy becomes too dry or thick and then add some water.
- Once you get the medium consistency, then add the grated or cubed paneer. Mix well and switch off the heat.
To Make Buttered Pavs
- Slice the pavs. On a flat pan or skillet, heat some butter.
- When the butter melts, keep the pav on the melted butter so that it absorbs the butter and fry for a minute. Toast the second side and also pan fry for a minute.
- If you want to make the pav crisp, fry for a few more minutes both the sides. Serve the pavs hot with the bhaji.
Serving The Bhaji
- When done, pour the hot bhaji in bowls or plates. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated paneer.
- You can top the bhaji with some butter, if you like it. In fact, with more butter, the bhaji tastes very good.
- Serve the paneer pav bhaji hot with the buttered pavs together with a side of finely chopped onions and chopped lime or lemon.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 18gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 773mgPotassium: 756mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4577IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 402mgIron: 5mg
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