The fresh light as air buns go very well with a mixed vegetable curry that is slow cooked and mashed. A street food from the western part of India, this dish is great for any meal— breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is a lovely snack as well.

Ingredients

For the pav (buns):

Milk 1 1/4 cup

Yeast 2 tsps

Sugar 2 tsps

All-purpose flour (maida) 2 cups

Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup

Salt 1 tsp

Butter 2 tbsps + 1 tbsp

For the bhaji (vegetable curry):

Potatoes 2 large, peeled and diced

Peas 3 cups

Cauliflower 1 small, cut into florets

Tomatoes 3 medium, chopped

Green chillies 3, minced

Capsicum 1 medium, diced

Onions 2 medium, sliced and 1 small, minced

Ginger 1” piece

Garlic 5 cloves

Coriander leaves, a big bunch, minced

Oil 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Butter 1 tbsp

Coriander powder 2 tsps

Red chilli powder 2 tsps

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder 1 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Amchoor powder (dry mango powder) 1 tsp

Method

For the pav:

Take one cup of warm milk in a bowl and add the sugar and yeast. Mix and let it prove for 5 minutes.

Sieve the flours and salt together and add to the yeast mixture. Mix to form a dough. Add 1/4 cup of milk to the dough and work it on a lightly floured surface for 10-12 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of softened butter and knead the dough till it is soft.

Put it into a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. It should double in volume by now.

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 balls.

Arrange them on a greased baking tray and brush with melted butter.

Cover and let it rise again for 20 minutes.

Bake in a 180 degree C oven for 20 minutes. Brush the hot buns with melted butter. Let them cool in the tray.

Pull the buns apart when ready to serve.

For the bhaji:

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cumin seeds.

When the seeds stop sputtering, add the sliced onions.

Sauté till the onions turn a light brown. Crush the ginger and garlic in a pestle and add to the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the diced potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets, peas, capsicum and tomatoes.

Add the salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchoor powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and cumin powder.

Mix well. Add 3 cups of water and cook on high flame till the water boils. Reduce the flame, cover the pan and cook till the vegetables are cooked.

Mash the the vegetables with a potato masher but don’t make it completely mushy.

Cook till the vegetable medley is thick. Garnish with butter, minced onions, green chillies and coriander leaves.

Serve with the pull-apart buns.