Pav Bhaji - an Indian street food classic made with mashed vegetables and generous amounts of butter. My homemade version is made quicker using the instant pot and store-bought pav bhaji masala.
Happiness - served piping hot!
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published 31st January 2010. I’ve added new images and helpful content.
I'm going to take some (reasonable) shortcuts here. I still use techniques and ingredients that still give you pretty close results to the original Mumbai pav bhaji.
The street style recipe for pav bhaji requires you to individually cook the vegetables. To make things easier, I use the instant pot and quickly pressure cook all the vegetables together.
The Recipe Details
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
After watching lots of YouTube videos of street vendors selling pav bhaji, I picked up some techniques that give immense flavour, colour and texture.
We didn't used to add beetroot to our pav bhaji, but it's since become an addition. Beetroot gives a fiery red colour and adds extra texture.
I finish the pav bhaji with an extra tempering of butter, cumin seeds, and a red chilli garlic paste. Optional, but it's this that really makes the dish pop and taste like the street food classic.
I serve it with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and top with lots of fresh coriander. On the side you'll find soft and fluffy white buns, kachumber and sometimes sprouted moong beans (trust me it works).
Keep some sweet lassi on the side too.
If you keep some spare masala, you can also prepare another street food classic - tawa pulao.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Pav Bhaji
Ingredients
- 500 grams potatoes peeled and cut
- 100 grams cauliflower florets
- 100 grams carrots peeled and cut
- 100 grams green peas
- 100 grams beetroot peeled and cut
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 large green chillies minced
- 100 grams capsicum green bell pepper
- 150 grams tomatoes chopped
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon pav bhaji masala adjust to your liking
- 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin and coriander dhana jeeru
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala optional
- 2 teaspoon kasoori methi
- salt to taste
Extra Tempring
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon chilli garlic chutney
To Serve With
- 10/12 buns
- 5-6 tablespoon oil or butter
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- lemon wedges
Garnish/Topping
- coriander
- butter optional
Instructions
Prepare Vegetables
- Add and cook 500 grams potatoes, 100 grams cauliflower florets, 100 grams carrots,100 grams green peas, and 100 grams beetroot in a pressure cooker or Instant pot with 2 cups of water.
- Once cooked, roughly mash with a potato masher and set it aside.
Gravy
- In a pan or large griddle, heat 5 tablespoon oil and 3 tablespoon butter, then add 1 large onion, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon ginger, and 2 large green chillies. Saute until it turns translucent, without changing colour.
- Now add 100 grams capsicum and 150 grams tomatoes. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes until they start to reduce to a pulp.
- Add 3 tablespoon pav bhaji masala, 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 2 teaspoon ground cumin and coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 2 teaspoon kasoori methi and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Tip in boiled vegetables along with water, keep mixing and mashing the vegetables using potato masher. Cook/simmer for 20-25 minutes on a low heat. If bhaji gets thick add a little water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Extra Tempering
- In a small pan heat 2 tablespoon butter and add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, once seeds sizzles add 2 tablespoon chilli garlic chutney and mix everything.
- Pour on cooked bhaji and sprinkle chopped coriander.
Toast Buns/Pav
- Cut the 10/12 buns in half using a serrated knife.
- Heat 5-6 tablespoon oil or butter on a tawa/griddle and toast the cut pav both side until golden.
Serving
- Serve hot bhaji in a plate, dollop some butter on it, sprinkle coriander and enjoy with buttered pav with ½ cup onion, lemon wedges.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hamaree Rasoi says
Hi Jagruti ,thanks for understanding my question.
I just realized that i forgot to type the word 'masala' in my comment..LOL
Deepa
Vrinda says
My fav too...looks perfect and yumm..regarding ur question,for ari unda parboiled rice is must,i dont think any other rice would get puffed up like parboiled...u can get this at any supermarkets
SE says
one of my favs...yummy....homemade buns..thts just so awesome!
Sarah Naveen says
Oh wow!! Simply delicious..
Aparna says
Paav bhaji my fav. I want to grab the whole plate 🙂
Asha says
I made some buns too last week. Pau bhaji and homemade Buns, what more could you want? :))
Unknown says
Looks so delicious, one of my neighbour back home in India, used to add eggplant to pav bhaji and i was wondering about its addition and now i know how the recipe came from.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks a ton ladies....
@Sangeeta ;thank you that you took time to come here and leave a comment at this time of your life..
@Deepa; you mean pavbhaji masala? i use diffrent all the time.this time Mangal masala.
i've seem my mum using eggplant in bhaji, so always i have...
Pari Vasisht says
Hi. Very unusual pavbhaaji ... adding eggplant and a nice healthy twist with olive oil. The buns look so soft.
priya says
my fav!!...love this combo very very much....yummy, dear!
Unknown says
Wow Home Made Pav and Bhaji,who wants to miss this lip smacking snack??
Awesome clicks and sounds very delicious...
Shama Nagarajan says
delicious recipe..tempting picture
jayasree says
Favorite street food. The bhaji looks colorful and delicious.
gtyuk says
Mmmmmm, pav bhaji is one of my favorite street foods too!!! looks delicious, I did it last week too!!
Rachana says
tempting!!!! mouthwatering!!!! I really wanna have paw bhaji now...amazing clicks dear:)