Pav Bhaji with love from Mumbai
Pav Bhaji is an iconic street food from Mumbai, consisting of a flavorful mixture of various vegetables sautéed with a special blend of spices, and served with soft buttered pav (bread rolls). The dish is hearty, colorful, and perfect for serving guests as it is a one-pot party favorite. This version is lighter, using less butter and featuring beetroot for extra color and flavor. The bhaji is garnished with lemon wedges, onions, and coriander, and paired with generously buttered, masala-sprinkled pav, offering an authentic taste reminiscent of Mumbai's bustling street food culture.
Ingredients 20
For The Bhaji
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tomatoes, blanched in hot water and pureed
1⁄2 cup green peas
1 green capsicum, large, finely chopped
4 potatoes, large, boiled, peeled, mashed
1 beetroot, boiled or roasted, peeled, pureed
2 carrots, boiled, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tsp red chilli powder, divided
3 ‒ 4 tsp pav bhaji masala, divided
salt, to taste
2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 lemon juice
coriander, fresh, chopped, plus extra for garnish
For The Pav Bread
dinner rolls (pav)
butter, to toast
pav bhaji masala, to sprinkle on the pav
For The Garnish
Lemon wedges
onions, finely chopped
fresh coriander, chopped
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Method 8
In a large wok or kadhai, heat the and half of the . Add the and chopped , and cook until the onions are translucent.
Add 1 tsp pav bhaji masala and 1 tsp red chilli powder, then add the chopped and cook for five minutes on a medium flame.
Add the chopped and cook for a further five minutes. Now add the and and mix well. Cook until the starts to separate.
Add the remaining , remaining , , and salt to taste.
Then add the mashed and mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup of water and cook on a low flame for 15 minutes.
Add the remaining and , and cook until the peas are soft. Then sprinkle the juice of 1 and chopped fresh coriander over the bhaji.
To toast the pav, heat a flat pan or tawa. Add butter and , then coat the pav in this mixture, allowing the bread to toast until golden brown.
Serve the hot bhaji with toasted pav. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped onions, fresh coriander, and a dollop of butter if desired.
Bhavna - The Modern Desi Co's tips
I also add beetroot for extra colour and flavour.
My version of pav bhaji takes just over an hour to cook and is a lighter version as I don’t smother it in butter (mind you the butter adds to the flavor, especially Amul butter, which again is not available in Australia).
The bhaji lasts in the fridge for at least a week and is really delicious.
I also love making Pav Bhaji when guests and friends are coming over as it is a one-pot dish and a real party food.
