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Pav Bhaji: Mumbai Street Food, SimplifiedFlatbread

Pav Bhaji: Mumbai Street Food, Simplified

Mash everything together in one pot, serve with buttered pav, and squeeze on some lemon. It's not just a meal—it's an experience 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients
  

  • 4 soft pav buns
  • 3 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • ½ cup green peas
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger grated
  • 2 –3 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1½ cups water plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
  • Finely chopped onion and lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

  1. Cook the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, and carrot in a large pot of salted water until completely tender, then drain and roughly mash them together. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or tawa over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until soft and lightly golden. Add the ginger, garlic, and green bell pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, pav bhaji masala, and salt, then cook until the tomatoes become soft and the mixture turns into a thick masala. Add the mashed vegetables and water, then use a potato masher to mash everything together directly in the pan. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bhaji becomes thick, smooth, and richly flavored. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining butter just before serving. Slice the pav buns and toast them on a hot pan with a little butter until golden and crisp on the edges. Serve the hot bhaji with buttered pav, chopped onion, fresh coriander, and lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

Mash the bhaji while it cooks. Mumbai-style pav bhaji gets its signature texture from vegetables that are mashed directly into the spicy masala until almost creamy. Don't worry about making it perfectly smooth—those small bits of vegetables give the bhaji its authentic street-food character.