Pav Bhaji (Spiced Mashed Vegetables with Buttered Buns)

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and peas in the water with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are very soft. Drain, keeping the cooking water.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp butter and oil in a wide, heavy pan. Cook the onions for 8 minutes until golden, then add the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute.
3. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes, until they collapse into a thick paste.
4. Add the pav bhaji masala, chili powder, turmeric and salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the spices do not catch.
5. Add the boiled vegetables and mash firmly with a potato masher right in the pan. Pour in up to 200 ml (3/4 cup) of the reserved water and simmer for 15 minutes, mashing as it cooks, until thick but still spoonable.
6. Stir in the lemon juice and coriander and taste for salt. Keep the bhaji warm on low heat.
7. Slice each pav in half, spread the cut sides with some of the serving butter and toast on a hot griddle until golden. Serve the bhaji topped with a knob of the remaining butter, with raw onion, lemon and the toasted pav.

Tips

• No ready-made masala? Mix 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tsp each ground cumin, fennel and dried mango powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper and a pinch each of ground cloves and cinnamon.
• Boil the vegetables until they collapse, and mash firmly. Underdone vegetables leave the bhaji lumpy instead of smooth and rich.