Creamy WFPB Pau Bhaji

Makes 8 portions, can be frozen

Pau bhaji is an Indian street food that normally has lashings of butter.

This version (adapted from a vah chef recipe) is artery friendly but tastes creamy and moreish and packed with omega 3 from hemp seeds!

My kids absolutely love it.

I always take the kids portion out before adding chilli. It can be batch cooked for 8 portions and frozen too. It is a lot of spices but if you have them all ready in one bowl prior to cooking this is pretty easy to make.

I used an instapot and steamer basket which took 15 mins to steam the veg but you can use any other steamer or boil the veg if you have no other option. You can use any veg you like, even frozen!

Serve with toasted wholewheat/gluten-free buns and finely chopped onion, coriander and extra lime juice if you want! (you can add extra virgin olive oil to the buns if you aren’t oil-free)

Ingredients

1 large onion diced

7 frozen garlic/ginger cubes

1 tbps lime/lemon juice

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp back pepper

1 tsp fennel and 1 tsp mango powder

1 tsp kasuri methi

5 tbsps hemp seeds blended with 9 tbsps water to form a smooth paste

2 tsps pau bhaji masala & 2 finely chopped green chillis microwaved with a splash of water for 30 secs

500ml tomato Passata

Salt to taste

100g frozen peas

Chopped and steamed veg (reserve 500ml of cooking water for later use):

1 medium carrot (skin removed)

1 courgette

1 medium potato(skin peeled)

1 small head cauliflower

1 aubergine

Method

1. Heat a non-stick pot and dry roast the cumin seeds for 30 secs, stir to prevent burning

2. Add the onion and cook till brown & soft, adding small amounts of veg stock to prevent sticking

3. Add the ginger/garlic and allow to defrost, adding veg stock to prevent sticking

4. Add the ground spices & stir for 1 min

5. Add the Passata, stir and cover pot for 5 mins

6. Add the steamed veg and mash thoroughly with a potato masher (take off heat whilst doing this)

7. Add hemp seed paste and frozen peas & rest of the veg stock, mix and cover pot and heat again for approx 3 mins or till peas defrost

8. Add lime juice and salt, stir and take kids portion out if needed

9. Add the chilli & masala paste, stir through & enjoy