Piquant Plate

Hot–cross buns! Hot–cross buns! One a penny, two a penny…,,,,

We heard this rhyme many at times when we were toddlers and preschoolers. Revisiting that rhyme today I have got a recipe which is exactly not like the hot cross buns but just a representation. I have made a mark of cross with the the help of cheese strips on to our very favorite pav bread which we generally eat with pav-bhaji.

Pav-bhaji is yet another a very famous street food eaten in India especially Maharashtra. It is basically vegetables cooked and mashed and served with buttery pav breads.

It is a good appetite to be served to the kids in their meal boxes and one can enjoy them in breakfast too.

Ingredients:

• Pav breads- 6 pieces
• Fresh green peas/matar- 1/2 cup
• Carrot- 1/2 chopped+ 1/2 grated
• Capsicum- 1medium sized
• Tomato- 1 medium sized
• Paneer/cottage cheese- 100 gms
• Freshly chopped coriander- 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
• Salt- as per taste
• Chili flakes- 1 tsp
• Oregano mix- 1 tsp
• Processed cheese- 1 medium sized cube
• Eggless mayonnaise- 1 cup
• Butter- 2 tsp

Method:

1. In a non stick pan, dry roast the peas for 2-3 minutes. Then add chopped capsicum and chopped carrot to it. Cook them for 2-3 minutes. Now add grated carrot and chopped tomatoes to it. Again cook them for 2-3 minutes. We will not add any oil to these vegetables.
2. Now add grated paneer/ cottage cheese to the vegetables.
3. Add salt, black pepper, oregano and chili flakes to the above veggie mix.
4. Now keep the pan aside. Let it cool.
5. Take the pav breads and on the top surface of the pav make slits in square shape with the help of a knife. Take out the square portion and dig it to make a canopy in the pav bread  as shown in the picture.
6. Roast the pav breads on non stick pan with little butter.
7. Now fill the canopies with the filling.
8. Make thin strips of cheese and put them on the top surface of the filling in the manner that they give the appearance of a cross sign.
9. Now brush a microwave plate with little butter and put the stuffed pav breads into it.
10. Microwave for 50-60 seconds.
11. Take a bowl and add mayonnaise, oregano, chili flakes and pinch of salt to make a dip. 
    

    
12. Serve the twisty hot cross buns with dip. Enjoy with tea, coffee in the breakfast. 
    

    

Note:

1. For getting the perfect cross sign, you can microwave only for 30 seconds.
2. Grated carrot is used to give volume to the filling.
3. To give it a perfect pav bhaji taste you can add pav bhaji masala to it.
4. Veggies of your choice can be added. But the filling must be dry so as to keep the pav intact.
5. Another batch of veggies like bell peppers, broccoli and corn can be used along with baked rajma beans with sour cream in order to give it a Mexican touch.