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Pav Bhaji recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji - the most popular and widely liked Indian street food consisting of spicy and tangy bhaji and butter toasted pav.
Prep Time15 mins
Active Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Brunch, Main Course, Snacks
Cuisine: Indian street food, Maharashtrian, Mumbai street food
Keyword: Pav bhaji recipe
Yield: 4
Calories: 300kcal

Materials

Veggies used for making Bhaji

  • 1 cup Cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup Fresh green peas use frozen, if fresh not available
  • 2 medium Potatoes cubed
  • 1 cup Carrot cubed

Other ingredients

  • 1 Capsicum finely chopped
  • 2 medium Onions finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste or grated
  • 2 to 3 Green chillies finely chopped or grated
  • 3 tbsp Butter extra butter is added at last while serving
  • 1 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds
  • Salt per taste
  • ½ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Lal mirch powder/ Red chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala
  • 1 tsp Garam masala
  • Salt per taste
  • Lemon juice
  • ½ cup Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
  • Water to get semi-thick consistency

For toasting Pav

  • 8 to 10 fresh Pav
  • 2 to 3 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tsp Pav bhaji masala

For serving Pav Bhaji

  • Extra butter for topping on bhaji
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 tbsp of freshly chopped Coriander leaves
  • Few Lemon wedges

Instructions

For Pressure cooking recipes:

  • Rinse the veggies you want for making bhaji - here in this recipe I am using 2 large potatoes, 1 carrot, Cauliflower florets, Green Peas. Rinse all the veggies and peel off the skin and chop into cubes.
  • Now add all the veggies in a pressure cooker with 2 or 2.5 cups of water.
  • Add half a tsp of salt or pinch of salt.
  • Pressure cook the veggies for 4 whistles on medium flame.
  • After 4 whistles, when the pressure settles down, open the cooker lid and check if the veggies are cooked completely.

For making bhaji for pav bhaji recipe:

  • Place a thick bottom wide kadhai on the gas and heat 3 tbsp of butter in the kadhai.
  • When the butter melts, add cumin seeds in the kadhai and saute till it splutters.
  • Add finely chopped onions in the kadhai and stir and cook till it turns a translucent and golden brown in colour.
  • Then, add a tbsp of ginger-garlic paste or grated and finely chopped green chillies in the pan and saute till the garlic leaves its raw smell.
  • Now, add finely chopped tomatoes in the pan.
  • Mix all the ingredients nicely in the kadhai and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
  • Add half tsp of salt in the pan, it helps in cooking tomatoes quickly.
  • When tomatoes are cooked perfectly, add in chopped capsicum or bell peppers.
  • Saute the capsicum for 2 to 3 minutes and leave it half cooked as it feels crunchier while chewing.
  • Then, add haldi, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, and garam masala.
  • Mix all the dry spices with the veggies nicely and add an extra tsp of butter at this stage. This way, spices get cooked in butter and a nice aroma of butter comes from the veggie.
  • After a few minutes, add the boiled and cooked veggies from the pressure cooker and add all the vegetable stock. Do not discard the vegetable stock. 
  • Mix the boiled veggies with the spiced onion-tomato in the pan.
  • Now, with the help of a potato masher or a large slotted spoon, mash the veggies in the pan. Mash the veggies till you reach the desired consistency.
  • Finally, add salt as per your taste and freshly chopped coriander leaves.
  • Spicy and tasty bhaji is ready to be served hot with butter toasted pav.

For toasting pav:

  • Heat a tawa/ Griddle on medium flame and add a tsp of butter on the tawa.
  • When butter starts to melt, add a fat pinch of pav bhaji masala in the butter and mix well.
  • Now place the pav, slit in between, over the tawa and rotate the pav all over the tawa so that it absorbs butter.
  • Flip the pav and toast it from the other side as well.
  • When the pav is roasted from both the sides remove it in a plate.

For serving Pav bhaji:

  • Place a ladleful of bhaji in a plate or bowl, and add a tsp of butter over the bhaji.
  • Then, on the side of the plate, place 2 or 3 tbsp of finely chopped onion, finely chopped coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
  • Instead, of keeping it on the side you can also sprinkle the onions, coriander leaves and lemon juice on the bhaji.
  • And also place two or more butter toasted pav on the plate and serve hot or warm.