How to make Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji is a popular  street food of Mumbai. It is a delicious amalgamation of different vegetables, cooked and mashed together. This delicious snack can also be served for brunch, lunch or dinner. Pav bhaji is a nice way to include variety of vegetables in one’s diet without compromising on the taste.   This bhaji is best served with chopped onions, lemon wedges and butter laden buns (pavs). Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

For the Bhaji

1 cup chopped cauliflower (phool gobi)
½ cup green peas (matar)
½ cup chopped carrots (gajar)
½ cup chopped French beans (fansi | farasbi)
|1 cup chopped potatoes (aloo)
¾ cup finely chopped onions (pyaaz)
½ cup finely chopped capsicum (Shimla mirch)
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (tamatar)
1 tsp + 1 tbsp  butter (makhan)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste (adrak lehsun paste)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp kashmiri red chilly powder (Kashmiri laal mirch powder)
1 ½ tsp pav bhaji masala
Salt as per taste (namak)
Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing (hara dhaniya)
1 tsp Lemon juice (nimbu ka ras)

For the Pav

8 Pavs
Butter for toasting the pav (makhan)
2 tsp pav bhaji masala (optional)
Chopped coriander leaves  (hara dhaniya)

For serving

Chopped onions  (pyaaz)
Lemon wedges (nimbu)
Chopped coriander (hara dhaniya)

How to make Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji

 

Method

  • Into a pressure cooker, add chopped cauliflower, chopped carrots, green peas, chopped french beans and chopped potatoes.
  • Add 2 cups of water, salt  and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
  • Allow the pressure to drop on its own.
  • After the steam escapes fully, open the pressure cooker.
  • Mash the cooked vegetables, using a masher.
  • Keep the mashed vegetables aside.
  • Heat a pan.
  • Add 1 tsp butter.
  • When the butter starts melting, add ginger garic paste and saute for few seconds.
  • Add chopped onions and saute till the onions turn soft.
  • Now, add  chopped capsicum and chopped tomatoes.
  • Saute till the tomatoes are well cooked.
  • Now, add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, pav bhaji masala and mix.
  • Add half a cup of water and mix well.
  • To this, add the mashed vegetables. Mix well.
  • Add water if the bhaji is too thick.
  • Add salt, 1 tbsp of butter and mix. 
  • Once done, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and squeeze half a lemon over the bhaji. Keep this aside.
  • For toasting the pav, heat a pan .
  • Add a teaspoon of butter.
  • When the butter starts melting, sprinkle a teaspoon of pav bhaji masala and a teaspoon of chopped coriander leaves.
  • Cut the pav open and place two pavs on the pan.
  • Cook the pav on both sides till they are lightly toasted.
  • Serve pav bhaji garnished  with chopped coriander, chopped onions along with toasted pav and lemon wedges.

Note:

  • I have made this bhaji with minimum butter. The quantity of butter used is as per your individual preference.  
  • For the health conscious folks, butter can be skipped. Instead,  a teaspoon of oil can be used to cook the vegetables and the pav can be served without toasting. 
  • But, pav bhaji tastes best when cooked with butter and served with butter laden pavs.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO:

Love street food of Mumbai ? Do have a look at the following recipes:

Mumbai Masala Pav, Misal Pav, Batata Vada, Bohri style Chana Batata

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