Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is Mumbai's beloved street-food classic: a thick, buttery mashed vegetable curry spiced with pav bhaji masala, served with soft dinner rolls (pav) griddled in butter. Hearty, spicy, and irresistibly rich.

By YumYum Editorial · Indian

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 35 min · Total: 55 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 cup cauliflower florets, boiled and mashed
• 1/2 cup green peas, boiled
• 1 medium carrot, boiled and mashed
• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• to taste Salt to taste
• 8 pav (soft dinner rolls), sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup finely chopped raw onion, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large pan or wide pot over medium heat; add cumin seeds until fragrant.
2. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and golden, about 6 minutes, then stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Add bell pepper and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
4. Add tomatoes, pav bhaji masala, and chili powder; cook until tomatoes break down and the oil separates, 8-10 minutes, mashing with a potato masher as you go.
5. Add the mashed potatoes, cauliflower, peas, and carrot along with 1/2 cup water; mash everything together directly in the pan to a thick, chunky-smooth consistency.
6. Simmer the bhaji on low heat for 12-15 minutes, mashing and stirring occasionally, adding water as needed to reach a spoonable but thick texture.
7. Stir in 2 tbsp butter and adjust salt; keep warm.
8. Slice pav rolls and toast on a griddle with butter until golden on the cut sides.
9. Serve the hot bhaji topped with a pat of butter, chopped raw onion, and cilantro, with buttered pav and lemon wedges on the side.