Paneer Bhindi Sabzi Recipe: Spicy Dish with Cheese and Okra for Breakfast

If you are tired of pumpkin dishes, try curd pumpkin and cheese tikki. This snack, made from pumpkin and cheese, is not only tasty but also quite simple to prepare. It can be served with tea or green paste during breakfast, or packed in a lunch box for children.

Pumpkin is very healthy, but many people think that dishes made from it are not very appetizing. In fact, this is not true; with proper preparation, you can create many delicious dishes from pumpkin, one of which is pumpkin and cheese tikki. This snack combines taste and ease of preparation. To enhance the flavor, fried flour, bell pepper, and various spices are added. The recipe and list of necessary ingredients are presented below.

To make curd pumpkin and cheese tikki, you will need:

• 2 cups of grated pumpkin
• 200 grams of cheese
• 1/2 cup of fried flour
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped bell pepper
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 small piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of roasted cumin
• 1 teaspoon of white sesame seeds
• Salt to taste
• Finely chopped cilantro
• A small amount of oil for frying

First, thoroughly squeeze the water from the grated pumpkin. Then, heat a pan, add the pumpkin, and fry it slightly to evaporate any remaining moisture and make it softer. Transfer the fried pumpkin to a large bowl along with the grated cheese, fried flour, finely chopped bell pepper, green chilies, ginger, and cilantro.

After that, add the red chili powder, roasted cumin, white sesame seeds, and salt, then mix all the ingredients thoroughly. When the mixture is ready, form round tikki by hand. Place the finished tikki on a heated pan with a little oil and fry on both sides until golden and slightly crispy. The finished tikki should be served hot, and green paste or any other favorite paste can be used. If you plan to pack them in a lunch box, make sure they have cooled down a bit before packing.

When people hear about Pav Bhaji, they recall the hot dishes and buns fried in oil that are served on the streets of Mumbai. Although it is a famous dish of Maharashtra, it is popular not only in Mumbai but also in Delhi, UP, and other regions of the country.

Nevertheless, complaints often arise about homemade Pav Bhaji because it does not possess the same aroma and taste as in commercial establishments. One reason for this may be the spices used. Renowned chef Vikas Khanna has shared a method for preparing Pav Bhaji masala, which is easy to make at home, and adding this mixture significantly improves the taste and aroma of the dish.

Pav Bhaji Masala Powder Recipe:

To create Pav Bhaji masala, you first need to remove the seeds and stems from dried red chilies. Then, lightly fry them on a hot pan, taking care not to overcook or let them burn, as burnt chili will give the spices a bitter taste.

In a second tray, roast whole spices: cumin, cloves, coriander seeds, cardamom, black cardamom, and cinnamon over low heat until they release their aroma. After this, let the roasted whole spices and dried red chilies cool slightly. Place them in a food processor along with turmeric, amchur powder, black pepper, red chili powder, and black salt.

Grind all ingredients thoroughly into a fine powder; if a coarser grind is preferred, you can avoid grinding them too finely.

How to Use It in the Dish?

When making Pav Bhaji at home, after mashing the vegetables, you need to add this spice mix in the required amount and mix well. Heating the spices together with the Pav Bhaji for some time allows all aromas and flavors to fully combine. Thus, the freshly prepared spice mix can give your Pav Bhaji a richer and more pungent taste.