Pav Bhaji
An authentic vegetarian recipe from Maharashtra, India
Cook Time
35 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
EasyCategory
VegetarianIngredients
For 4 servings
300g Potatoes, boiled and mashed
150g Cauliflower florets, boiled
100g Green peas, boiled
200g Onions, finely chopped
250g Tomatoes, finely chopped
80g Green bell pepper, finely chopped
25g Ginger-garlic paste
2piece Green chillies, finely chopped
80g Butter
20g Pav bhaji masala
6g Red chilli powder
2g Turmeric powder
8g Salt
15ml Lemon juice
25g Fresh coriander leaves
8piece Pav (dinner rolls)
16 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, and green peas until completely tender. Mash the potatoes and cauliflower together roughly — some texture is fine at this stage.
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Heat 50 g butter in a large, wide pan or tawa over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown.
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Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
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Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 6–7 minutes, mashing them continuously with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until they completely break down and the butter begins to separate.
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Add the chopped green bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
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Add pav bhaji masala, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Stir well and cook the spices for 2 minutes.
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Add the mashed potatoes, cauliflower, and green peas to the pan. Mix everything together and mash vigorously with a potato masher until the bhaji is smooth with minimal lumps.
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Add salt and a splash of water if the bhaji is too thick. Simmer on medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring and mashing continuously, until the bhaji is thick, glossy, and the butter floats on top.
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Add lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Stir well. The bhaji should be thick enough to hold its shape on a plate.
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To serve: slice the pav rolls in half and toast them on a hot tawa with butter until golden and crisp. Serve the bhaji topped with a knob of butter, remaining coriander, and chopped onion alongside the toasted pav.
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Chef's Tips
Mashing the vegetables continuously while cooking is the key technique — the more you mash, the smoother and more integrated the bhaji becomes.
Pav bhaji masala is a specific spice blend and cannot be substituted with garam masala; it contains dried mango powder, coriander, and other spices that give pav bhaji its distinctive flavour.
Do not skimp on butter — it is what makes pav bhaji rich and glossy. Street-style pav bhaji uses far more butter than home recipes typically suggest.
The bhaji should be cooked on a high flame for the last few minutes to develop the characteristic slightly charred, caramelised flavour of street-style pav bhaji.
About This Dish
Pav Bhaji is a traditional vegetarian dish from Maharashtra, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- Mashing the vegetables continuously while cooking is the key technique — the more you mash, the smoother and more integrated the bhaji becomes. - Pav bhaji masala is a specific spice blend and cannot be substituted with garam masala; it contains dried mango powder, coriander, and other spices that give pav bhaji its distinctive flavour. - Do not skimp on butter — it is what makes pav bhaji rich and glossy. Street-style pav bhaji uses far more butter than home recipes typically suggest. - The bhaji should be cooked on a high flame for the last few minutes to develop the characteristic slightly charred, caramelised flavour of street-style pav bhaji.
Category
Vegetarian
Cook Time
35 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy