pav bhaji

i had a bit of a glut of random vegetables. tomatoes, potatoes, massive and lovely peas from the oakland farmers' market, maybe some others. it's hard to keep track, during the summer. so ... how to decide on the next bit of experimental cookery? enter my new favorite exploration technique: google "[vegetable(s)] [part of world/cuisine] recipe." so far, i've found that there is always an awesome indian recipe for any vegetable (or combination of vegetables) that a body has lying around. this time, it's pav bhaji. i had never heard of it, but it sounded good. fortunately bombay bazar (valencia & 17th) had a made-to-order spice mix -- it was key. most folks (i've read) make pav bhaji with an absurd amount of butter, and serve it on griddled butter-soaked bread. but, since it was monday and i try to refrain from death-inducing food on weekdays, i de-buttered the sauce and served it with khitchari instead.

ingredients

for pav bhaji
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
3 yukon gold potatoes
6 tomatoes, grated (a newfound technique, courtesy of my bombay kitchen.)
about 1 cup shelled fresh peas
1 red pepper, minced
1 yellow onion, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 T ginger garlic paste (also from mbk. this is so handy to have in the fridge.)
2 T or so vegetable oil
2 T ghee
1 t turmeric
1 t cayenne pepper
pav bhaji masala spice mix (all this stuff, and a body still needs a spice mix!)
salt to taste
at least 1/4 lemon
cilantro

for khitchari
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup mung dal
1/2 cup channa dal
~8 whole allspice
salt
2 1/4 C water. did you know you can make this in a rice cooker? i didn't think i needed a rice cooker until i got one from my mom last christmas. actually, i didn't think i needed a rice cooker even when i got one! now i use it almost every day and feel really, really grateful. thanks mom!

directions
boil cauliflower & potatoes until tender. set aside.
in a deep saucepan, saute red pepper, onions, and jalapeno pepper in oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
add ginger-garlic paste & keep the saute going.
add turmeric, salt, grated tomatoes (should be sort of like a puree), peas, cauliflower & potato mix, ghee, and masala. stir.
keep cooking for about 20 minutes or so, mashing the mixture with a potato masher as you go.
add juice from 1/4 lemon, and adjust spices. i used about 3 T of the spice mix, but i like it spicy.
serve over khitchari with chopped cilantro, maybe more lemons if you feel like it.

it was also totally good with a little of the eggplant pickle mixed in (yes, again, from mbk. this book is literally a whole new world of deliciousness).

serves 4-6. or, enough for 2 dinners and 4 lunches.

that lurid color isn't quite accurate -- its just my kitchen light that makes it look a bit atomic.