Kheema Pav with Maunika Gowardhan: A Culinary Journey into Indian Street Food

BBC Good Food Rookie Chef Podcast: Kheema Pav with Maunika Gowardhan

Introduction:

Welcome to the BBC Good Food Rookie Chef Podcast, where we bring you inspiring and easy-to-follow recipes from some of the UK's top chefs. In this episode, we're joined by Maunika Gowardhan, who will be showing us how to make a delicious Kheema Pav, a classic Indian street food dish.

Ingredients:

For the kheema:

- 500g lamb mince
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt

For the pav:

- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 sachet of active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water

Instructions:

For the kheema:

1. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the lamb mince. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon and cook until browned all over.
2. Add the onion, garlic and chilli (if using) to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened.
3. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mince is cooked through.

For the pav:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
7. Roll out each piece of dough into a circle, about 1/2 inch thick.
8. Heat a griddle or frying pan over a medium heat and cook the pav for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

To serve:

1. Split the pav in half and spread with the kheema.
2. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with a side of raita or chutney.

Tips:

- For a spicier kheema, use more chilli or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- If you don't have a scotch bonnet chilli, you can use another type of chilli, such as a jalapeño or serrano.
- You can make the kheema ahead of time and reheat it when you're ready to serve.
- The pav can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy your delicious Kheema Pav!