Pav Bhaji Recipe (Mumbai Street Style)

Pav Bhaji is an iconic Mumbai street food made with mashed mixed vegetables cooked in butter, tomatoes, and special pav bhaji masala, served hot with butter-toasted pav. Its rich flavor, bright color, and smooth texture make it one of India’s most loved comfort foods, perfect for evenings, parties, or quick dinners.

Ingredients

For Pressure Cooking Vegetables

• Potatoes – 3 medium (peeled & cubed)
• Cauliflower – 1 cup florets
• Green peas – ½ cup
• Carrot – 1 small (chopped)
• Beetroot – small piece (optional, for color)
• Salt – a pinch
• Water – just enough to cover vegetables

For Bhaji Masala Base

• Butter – 4 to 5 tbsp (use generously)
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Onion – 1 large (finely chopped)
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Green chillies – 2 (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes – 2 to 3 medium (finely chopped or pureed)
• Pav bhaji masala – 2 to 3 tbsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Kasuri methi – a pinch (crushed)
• Salt – to taste
• Reserved vegetable water – as needed
• Lemon juice – ½ to 1 lemon
• Fresh coriander leaves – finely chopped

For Pav

• Pav buns – 6
• Butter – as needed
• Pav bhaji masala – a pinch
• Chopped coriander – little

Preparation Method

Step 1: Pressure Cook & Mash the Vegetables

1. Add potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrot, beetroot, salt, and water to a pressure cooker.
2. Cook for 3–4 whistles until vegetables are very soft and mushy.
3. Drain excess water and reserve it.
4. Mash the vegetables thoroughly into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Step 2: Prepare the Masala Base

1. Heat a wide pan or iron tawa. Add butter and oil.
2. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté till translucent.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté until raw smell disappears.
5. Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until tomatoes soften and oil starts releasing.
6. Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well.

Step 3: The Grand Merge (Street-Style Mash)

1. Add the mashed vegetables to the masala base.
2. Mix well and add reserved vegetable water as needed.
3. Mash everything again directly on the pan using a pav bhaji masher.
4. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring and mashing until smooth, thick, and glossy.
5. Add extra butter, chopped coriander, and lemon juice. Mix well and switch off the flame.

Step 4: Toast the Pav

1. Slice pav buns horizontally.
2. Heat butter on a pan, add a pinch of pav bhaji masala and chopped coriander.
3. Toast pav until golden and well coated with seasoned butter.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve hot bhaji topped with butter and chopped onions
• Serve with butter-toasted pav and lemon wedges
• Sprinkle extra pav bhaji masala for street-style taste

Health Benefits

• Mixed vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals
• Potatoes give instant energy
• Homemade pav bhaji is more hygienic than street food
• Can be made with less butter for a lighter version

Tips

• Always mash vegetables completely for smooth texture
• Use good quality pav bhaji masala for authentic taste
• Butter is key—don’t reduce it too much
• Beetroot gives natural red color without artificial food color
• Cooking on an iron tawa adds smoky street-style flavor

Variations

• Cheese Pav Bhaji – top bhaji with grated cheese
• Jain Pav Bhaji – skip onion and garlic
• Khada Pav Bhaji – lightly mash vegetables for chunky texture
• Butterless Pav Bhaji – replace butter with oil for a lighter dish