This Anti-Inflammatory Veggie Dish Is The Perfect Way To Use Up Leftover Produce

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Enter: pav bhaji. "Pav bhaji is a finish-up-all-the-veggies meal," explains creator of VeganRicha.com, Richa Hingle in her new cookbook Vegan Richa's Instant Pot™ Cookbook. "For the street version, the veggie mash is premade, then fried in butter and topped with onions, lemon juice, and cilantro, and served with fresh bread rolls that are also toasted with butter."

If you're in a rush, this meal can also be thrown into the Instant Pot so you can go about your day and have a filling, nutrient-dense dish ready for you come dinnertime. Not to mention the fresh ginger in this recipe is great for inflammation and stomach discomfort, acting as the perfect soothing summer meal.

2 tablespoons vegetable stock 3/4 cup chopped red onion 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 cup chopped tomato 1/2 cup tomato sauce 4 to 5 cups chopped vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, green beans) 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon Indian black salt, or use more lime juice 1/2 cup water Cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon vegan butter 2 to 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Toasted, vegan-buttered bread slices or vegan hamburger buns Chopped red onion Chopped fresh cilantro Lime wedges

Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting the Sauté setting. Heat the oil in the preheated pot for a few seconds, then add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger, pav bhaji masala, paprika, and coriander, then add the tomato and tomato sauce. Add the vegetables, salt, black salt, and water and give it a good stir to pick up any stuck bits. Select the cancel setting. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cook time to 10 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and coarsely mash the vegetables. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed, and add cayenne, if needed. Sauté for a few minutes if there’s too much liquid. Stir in the butter, if using, and lime juice. Serve on the bread topped with onion and cilantro with lime wedges.

To make your own pav bhaji masala: Combine 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamom, 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried mango (amchoor).

Excerpted from Vegan Richa's Instant Pot™ Cookbook: 150 Plant-based Recipes from Indian Cuisine and Beyond by Richa Hingle. Copyright © 2022. Available from Hachette Go, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.