Pav bhaji is a combination of a spicy sabzi or bhaji served with slightly fried pav or bread. The bhaji comprises mashed boiled vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum, beetroot, tomatoes, onions and lots more, cooked in a variety of spices like chili powder and pav bhaji masala powder in generous amounts of butter. Continue reading my recipe to learn the steps to make pav bhaji at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Pav bhaji is a popular dish in Mumbai but is loved all over India for its taste and flavor.
- Serve it as is or simply with onion salad and lemon wedges.
- Pav bhaji tastes spicy, savory, and earthy.
- Other similar recipes are misal pav, keema pav, and vada pav.
The Ingredients:
To fry the pav:
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp pav bhaji masala powder
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)
To boil the vegetables:
- 2 potatoes (diced)
- 1 cup cauliflower (small florets)
- ½ cup carrots (diced)
- ¼ cup green peas
- ½ cup capsicum (diced)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
To cook the bhaji:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp garlic (grated)
- 1 tsp ginger (grated)
- 1 tbsp green chili (finely chopped)
- 1 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 cup tomatoes (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup beetroot (grated)
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ cup water
- Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
To serve the pav bhaji:
- Onions (a few, finely chopped)
- Lemon wedges (as required)
I first had pav bhaji on the beaches of Mumbai when we went there for a family trip during vacation. Showing my interest in learning the process, the stall owner called me beside him and showed me all the steps, adding a few expert tips in between. I recorded it on my phone, with permission.
Coming back home, I decided to make it on a Sunday and surprise my two sons. It turned out to be good, and my husband appreciated my effort. My sons said it tasted just as good as those they had on the beaches of Mumbai. It was such a compliment. I thanked the person for being so kind to have taught me this wonderful recipe.
How to Make Pav Bhaji? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Boil 2 potatoes (diced), 1 cup of cauliflower (small florets), ½ cup of carrots (diced), ¼ cup of green peas, and ½ cup of capsicum (diced) in 1 cup of water and 1 tsp of salt and mash them.
Step 2: Fry 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 tbsp of finely chopped green chilies until golden in 1 tbsp of cooking oil and 1 tbsp of butter. Then add 1 cup of finely chopped onions.
Step 3: Add 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup of grated beetroot, and salt to taste. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 2 tbsp of pav bhaji masala powder. Mix, cook for a minute, and then add 1 tsp of red chili powder.
Step 5: Add ¼ cup of water. When dry, add the mashed vegetables and salt to taste.
Step 6: Add more hot water. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more. Add chopped coriander leaves and butter. Cover and switch off the flame.
Step 7: Mix ¼ tsp of pav bhaji masala powder and ¼ tsp of red chili powder with 1 tbsp of butter in a tawa. Add coriander leaves.
Step 8: Take a pav, cut it in half, rub it on the masala, and flip.
Step 9: Put butter to fry both sides nicely.
Step 10: Your tasty and spicy homemade pav bhaji is ready.
Recipe Card
Pav Bhaji
Ingredients
To fry the pav:
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp pav bhaji masala
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- Coriander leaves a few, finely chopped
To boil the vegetables:
- 2 potatoes diced
- 1 cup cauliflower small florets
- ½ cup carrots diced
- ¼ cup green peas
- ½ cup capsicum diced
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
To cook the bhaji:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp garlic grated
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp green chili finely chopped
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes finely chopped
- ¼ cup beetroot grated
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ cup water
- Coriander leaves a handful, finely chopped
To serve the pav bhaji:
- Onions a few, finely chopped
- Lemon wedges as required
Instructions
- Boil 2 potatoes (diced), 1 cup of cauliflower (small florets), ½ cup of carrots (diced), ¼ cup of green peas, and ½ cup of capsicum (diced) in 1 cup of water and 1 tsp of salt and mash them.
- Fry 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 tbsp of finely chopped green chilies until golden in 1 tbsp of cooking oil and 1 tbsp of butter. Then add 1 cup of finely chopped onions.
- Add 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup of grated beetroot, and salt to taste. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
- Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala. Mix, cook for a minute, then add 1 tsp of red chili powder.
- Add ¼ cup of water. When dry, add the mashed vegetables and salt to taste.
- Add more hot water. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more. Add chopped coriander leaves and butter. Cover and switch off the flame.
- Mix ¼ tsp of pav bhaji masala and ¼ tsp of red chili powder with 1 tbsp of butter in a tawa. Add coriander leaves.
- Take a pav, cut it in half, rub it on the masala, flip.
- Put butter to fry both sides nicely.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade pav bhaji is ready.
