Pav Bhaji Recipes

Making street-style Pav Bhaji at home is all about getting that perfect balance of finely mashed, spiced vegetables and deeply buttery, toasted buns. The secret to that iconic Mumbai street flavor lies in blooming the pav bhaji masala in butter right at the start and twice-cooking the onions and capsicum.

Here is a foolproof recipe that serves 4 people.

Ingredients

For Boiling:

• 3 medium Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 1 cup Cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup Green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 small Beetroot (peeled and chopped — this gives the natural deep red color)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Water (just enough to cover the veggies)

For the Bhaji Masala Base:

• 3 tbsp Butter + 1 tbsp Oil (oil prevents the butter from burning)
• 1 large Onion (finely chopped)
• 1 large Capsicum / Green bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 2 large Tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 2 to 2.5 tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for extra color and mild heat)
• Salt to taste
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

For Serving:

• 8 Pav buns
• Butter (plenty, for toasting)
• Finely chopped raw onions and lemon wedges

The Method

1.Pressure cook the vegetables:10-12 mins.

Add the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, beetroot, salt, and water into a pressure cooker. Cook for 3 to 4 whistles until completely soft. If using a regular pot, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender.

2.Mash the boiled veggies:2 mins.

While still hot, use a potato masher to thoroughly mash the vegetables right inside the cooker until relatively smooth. Do not drain the water; the stock holds all the flavor and the red hue from the beetroot.

3.Build the aromatic base:8-10 mins.

Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in a large, wide pan or tawa. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears. Add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook until they break down completely and start releasing oil.

4.Incorporate the spices:3 mins.

Turn the heat to low. Add the pav bhaji masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt. Stir vigorously for a minute to bloom the spices in the butter.

5.Combine and final mash:5 mins.

Pour the mashed vegetable mixture and its stock into the pan. Mix everything well. Take your potato masher again and mash everything together directly in the pan to blend the aromatics smoothly into the vegetable base. Let it simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Adjust the consistency with a splash of warm water if it gets too thick.

6.Finish the Bhaji:1 min.

Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tbsp of butter, fresh coriander leaves, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

7.Toast the Pav:2 mins.

Slice the pav buns horizontally. Melt a generous dollop of butter on a tawa, sprinkle a pinch of pav bhaji masala and a little coriander leaves onto the butter, and press the pav down. Toast both sides until soft, warm, and lightly golden.

Pro-Tip for Authentic Flavor: Street vendors use a massive iron tawa that retains residual flavors. To mimic this at home, when you finish making the bhaji, clear a space in the center of the same pan, drop in a bit more butter and a splash of water, and toast your pav right there to soak up the caramelized bits of the gravy.