Pav Bhaji Recipe, How to Make Pav Bhaji Step by Step (2024)

November 1, 2022 21 Comments

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Pav Bhaji Recipe: Pav Bhaji is a popular street food in India. Pav refers to the super soft equivalent of Indian dinner rolls and bhaji is the mashed and spiced vegetable side that goes with Pav.

One of the first few recipes that I perfected immediately after marriage is this amazing Pav Bhaji recipe. I have made it countless times since then, always volunteering to bring Pav Bhaji to potlucks and often making it for guests. The reason is simple – everyone loves a good Pav Bhaji and it’s incredibly easy to make in larger quantities. A little vegetables go a long way and if you have a good Pav Bhaji Masala in hand, you are good to go. I even make Pav at home if I have time to plan ahead.

Although I have tasted Pav Bhaji many times during our annual visits to Salem during Onam Holidays, I first noticed it during a trip to Eat Street in Hyderabad. The pav was buttery and hot and the Bhaji was piping hot. I loved the minced raw onions they garnished the Bhaji with and with a squeeze of fresh lemon on top before eating, it was truly blissful. Since then, I refuse to eat Pav Bhaji any other way. While on the topic of street food, I promise you will find this easy vada pav recipe a winner!

It’s not easy to get good Pav in Singapore and I often substitute small dinner rolls, burger buns, and even halved hotdog buns for Pav. As long as you butter and toast it properly, it doesn’t matter too much. Ok I lie, it actually does matter but unless you want to make your own Pav for Pav Bhaji, go with the substitutes and make it work.

Also, for the bhaji, you can use your own proportions of heat vs masala vs vegetables. I sometimes add a carrot to the potato and cauliflower when pressure cooking it. It lends some sweetness and anyway cooks up really mushy so you can’t even make it out. I also add some green chillies if I have fresh ones in hand and reduce the amount of chilli powder. If you want a deep red Pav Bhaji, add Kashmiri Chilli Powder or Resham Patti Chillies, which I recently discovered in a store in Bombay. They are fiery red and quite strong, so use sparingly.

If you love Indian chaat recipes, then also check out how to make ragda, ragda pattice recipe, and this Mumbai vada pav recipe.

Pav Bhaji Recipe

nags

Pav Bhaji is a popular and delicious street food in India. Made with a mish mash of vegetables cooked in spices, it's served with soft pav buns toasted in butter

5 from 16 votes

Ingredients

250 gm of cauliflower
1 large potato
1 small capsicum / bell pepper
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of minced ginger
2 cups of tomato puree
1/4 cup of green peas
1 tsp of red chilli powder I use Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tbsp of pav bhaji masala adjust to taste
1 tbsp of oil
2-3 tbsp of butter
1 onion chopped fine, to serve
1 small bunch of coriander leaves for garnish
6 lemon or lime wedges to serve

Instructions

Pressure cook the cauliflower and potato until completely tender (3 whistles)
Mash well with the water used to cook it. Set aside
Heat the oil and add chopped capsicum. Cook for 2-3 mins until it begins to soften
Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for a few seconds
Add chilli powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 5 seconds and add the mashed vegetables
Mix well and add tomato puree along with 1 cup water
Bring to boil and add pav bhaji masala and peas
Cook covered for 10-15 mins
Open and cook further until the desired consistency is reached
Add salt and butter. Mix well, and remove from fire
When ready to serve, butter the pav generously and toast until golden on a griddle or tawa
Add chopped onions and coriander leaves on the bhaji. Squeeze lime juice and eat immediately