Cauliflower & aubergine bhaji

About this recipe

Bhaji means "spiced vegetable dish" in Hindi — the foundation of countless Indian meals. This version is adapted from the Mumbai pav bhaji classic, but served with bulgur or rice instead of a soft white roll, sitting more naturally as a complete main course at lunch or dinner.

Adapted from Disha's Pav Bhaji in Fresh India by Meera Sodha. Modifications: reduced cumin, vegan alternatives offered for butter and yoghurt, served with bulgur or rice instead of bread rolls.

Ingredients

For the bhaji

• 200 g potatoes (or sweet potatoes for a sweeter note), peeled and cubed
• 40 g butter — original: regular butter / vegan: 30 g refined coconut oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 medium aubergines (~500 g total), cut into 1 cm cubes
• 400 g tomato passata
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¾ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder), or ½ ripe mango finely chopped or puréed for a sweeter note — optional, but recommended for tang
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ head of cauliflower (~250 g), broken into 2 cm florets
• 15 g butter — original or vegan: vegan margarine — for finishing

To serve

• 250 g bulgur or basmati rice (dry)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped — optional
• A handful of fresh coriander — optional
• Greek yoghurt — original or vegan: soy yoghurt, to serve
• Lemon wedges, to squeeze over

Method

1. Roast the aubergines (20 min)

Start with this step, so the aubergines are ready by the time you reach the combination stage.

Toss the cubed aubergines with a tablespoon of olive oil (or sunflower oil) in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and toss again. Spread on a baking tray lined with parchment, in a single layer without overlapping.

Roast at 220°C with fan for 20 minutes, until browned at the edges and soft inside. This method concentrates the flavour of the aubergines much better than cooking them in the pot and avoids their notorious "thirst" for oil.

2. Prepare the potatoes (15-20 min, in parallel)

Peel the potatoes and cut into equal cubes.

Boiled (faster): place in a pot of cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain.

Steamed (recommended — keeps more flavour): place the cubes in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 20 minutes, until tender.

Either way, mash with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.

3. Start the bulgur or rice

For bulgur: ratio 2:1 (water:bulgur). Bring 500 ml salted water to a boil, add 250 g bulgur, cover, lower the heat and simmer 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Leave covered another 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

For basmati rice (recommended technique): rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Soak it in warm water for 30 minutes — this step makes it fluffier and keeps the grains separate. Drain, place in a pot with water at a 1:1 ratio (250 g rice : 250 ml water), bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for exactly 10 minutes (timed from the moment the water starts to boil). Leave covered another 5 minutes without lifting the lid, then fluff with a fork.

4. Caramelise the onions (8-10 min)

Put the butter (or coconut oil) in a wide-bottomed pot or deep pan over medium heat. Once melted and hot, add the chopped onions. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until golden and sweet.

5. Add garlic and ginger (1 min)

Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger. Stir continuously for just 1 minute — be careful not to burn them, ginger turns bitter very quickly.

6. Add the passata (5-7 min)

In the pot, add the tomato passata and tomato purée. Cook uncovered 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

7. Spice it up

Add the cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, amchur (or fresh mango) and salt. Stir well. Taste and adjust the heat with chilli powder — add it a quarter teaspoon at a time, easier than dialling back.

8. Combine everything and simmer (30-50 min)

Add the roasted aubergines and the cauliflower florets to the pot. Stir to combine. Important: if the cauliflower is not fully covered by the sauce, add hot water until it is. Without enough liquid, the cauliflower won't cook evenly.

Cover the pot and simmer on low heat between 30 and 50 minutes, depending on how tender you want the cauliflower and how reduced you want the sauce. Stir every 10 minutes to prevent sticking on the bottom. By the end, the sauce should be thick and dark, and the cauliflower tender but still holding its shape.

Add the mashed potato right at the end, stir well and bring back to one good simmer to combine. Add the butter or vegan margarine for finishing and stir to melt.

9. Serve

Plate the bulgur or rice, top with a generous portion of bhaji. Optional toppings: chopped red onion, fresh coriander, a spoonful of Greek or vegan yoghurt, and a squeeze of lemon over everything.

Notes & Tips

Garam masala — the choice matters

There are big differences between types of garam masala. For this recipe I recommend a North Indian blend, which contains cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg. Its warm and slightly sweet profile pairs perfectly with the roasted aubergines and the mango note. South Indian garam masala is hotter and more astringent — less suited here.

Watch the garlic and ginger

This is the most delicate moment of the recipe. If the pot is too hot or you wait too long, garlic turns bitter and ginger loses its fresh aroma. Strategy: lower the heat as you add them, stir continuously, move to the next step within 60 seconds max.

Why roast the aubergines?

Aubergines cooked in the pot absorb all the oil in the first 2-3 minutes and then soften unevenly. Roasted in the oven with a little oil and salt, they brown on the outside, melt on the inside, and bring a concentrated, slightly smoky flavour that transforms the bhaji. It's an extra step, but the difference in taste is worth every minute.

Mango or amchur?

Dried mango powder (amchur) adds a distinctly Indian fruity tang. You'll find it in Indian shops or online. Fresh mango variant: use half a ripe mango, very finely chopped or puréed with a fork. Fresh mango also adds a subtle sweetness that balances the heat. Add it together with the spices.

Cauliflower — patience with the simmer

30 minutes seems long, but it's the actual time needed for the flavours to integrate and for the cauliflower to truly become tender. If you rush and pull it out at 10-15 minutes, you'll have hard pieces in the middle of a sauce that still tastes raw. At 40-50 minutes, everything becomes a harmonious dish.

Pairs perfectly with warm naan

Warm naan, torn by hand and dipped into the sauce, is the traditional way to eat bhaji. A simple combination that always works.

→ Naan recipe