Pav Bhaji Recipe (Mumbai Street Style)

A detailed recipe to make quick & delicious Mumbai pav bhaji at home. Bhaji is a thick buttery mixed vegetable curry served with Indian buns - pav. Instructions included for stovetop & Instant pot

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Servings:

Author: Swasthi

Ingredients

1½ to 2 cups (300 grams) potatoes diced (3 medium or 2 large)
½ to ¾ cup (75 grams) green peas (matar)
1 cup (100 grams) cauliflower (florets, optional)
½ cup (75 grams) carrot (optional, 1 small)
1½ cups water (to pressure cook, 2 cups for IP, more to cook in pot)
¾ to 1 cup (125 grams) onions (finely chopped, 1 medium)
1 green chili (slit or chopped, leave out for kids, optional)
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or chopped
½ cup capsicum (bell pepper) chopped
¾ to 1 cup (125 grams) tomatoes (finely chopped, 2 medium )
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 to 1½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (or red chili paste from 10 dried red chilies)
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 to 1½ tablespoon pavbhaji masala powder (use more if needed)
¾ tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional)
1 teaspoon salt

To toast pav

8 Pav (buns) (dinner rolls)
1 tablespoon butter (to toast pav)
½ teaspoon pav bhaji masala powder

To garnish

1 Lemon (sliced)
2 to 4 tablespoon onions Chopped finely
2 tablespoon coriander leaves
2 tablespoon butter (divided between servings)

Instructions

Preparation

Add cauliflower florets, cubed potatoes, carrots and peas to a pot or pressure cooker. Pour water and cook until soft or tender. If you cook in a pot you will need more water.
If cooking in pressure cooker, cook on a medium heat until you hear 2 whistles. When the pressure drops open the lid and mash them well.

Make Bhaji

Add butter and oil to a pan and heat up on a medium flame. Add onions and saute till they turn translucent.
Stir in ginger garlic paste and green chili. Saute until fragrant.
Next capsicums & saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato and salt. Saute until the tomatoes soften and become mushy.
Stir in chili powder, turmeric and pav bhaji masala powder. Saute the masala for another 2 minutes or until the raw smell of the mixture goes away.
Add boiled & mashed veggies. Pour more water (½ to ¾ cup) just enough to bring to a thick consistency.
Cook for 3 to 5 mins until the bhaji thickens. Taste and add more salt if needed. If you want it more spicy, add another half tsp chilli powder and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add kasuri methi and cook until it reaches a desired consistency thick yet of pouring consistency.

How to Make Pav Bhaji

Slit the pav buns horizontally leaving one edge intact.
On a low to medium flame, heat butter on a pan/ griddle. Open the pav and sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on the butter. Place the pav, inner side on the butter & toast them for a min or two.
Scoop out portions of bhaji to serving bowls. Garnish it with onions, butter and coriander leaves. Squeeze some lemon juice. Serve pav bhaji hot or warm. Dip your pav into the bhaji and enjoy.

Instant Pot Pav Bhaji

Press SAUTE button on the instant pot. Add oil and butter to the steel insert.
Saute onions and green chili until the onions become transparent. Stir in ginger garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes, capsicum and sprinkle salt. Saute until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
Stir in pav bhaji masala, chilli powder and turmeric. Add all the veggies – potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrots and green peas. Pour 2 cups water (1x) and mix well at the bottom to deglaze the pot.
Press CANCEL button and press PRESSURE COOK button with high pressure setting. Set the timer to 5 mins and position the steam release vent to sealing.
When the IP completes, it beeps, wait for 5 mins for natural pressure release. Gently release the rest of the pressure manually and open the lid.
There is plenty of liquid at this stage. With a masher, mash all the veggies well, they will soak up the excess liquid.
Press SAUTE button. If needed add more salt, pav bhaji masala and more red chilli for a brighter color. I usually add ½ teaspoon more red chilli powder at this stage.
Let the bhaji simmer for 3 to 4 mins, until thick. Then add add crushed kasuri methi and mix. Press cancel. Sprinkle coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon butter.
Slit each bun to 2, horizontally, keeping one edge intact. Heat a pan. Smear some butter and sprinkle pav bhaji masala over the butter. (check images above) Toast the pavs until lightly crisp.
Transfer bhaji to serving bowls. Top with butter & coriander leaves. Squeeze some lemon juice.
Serve alongside toasted buns and freshly cut onions.

Video

Nutrition