Mumbai Pav Bhaji
Pav bhaji is Mumbai's favourite street food of mashed spiced vegetables cooked in lots of butter and served with soft toasted bread rolls. It is rich, tangy and deeply satisfying. Born as a quick lunch for textile mill workers, it is now sold at stalls and restaurants across the city and loved all over India.
Why You Will Love This Mumbai Pav Bhaji
- Bold, buttery and full of street-style flavour
- A great way to use up a mix of vegetables
- Vegetarian, and easy to make for a crowd
Ingredient Notes
Vegetables: Potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrots form the base, with tomatoes and capsicum adding body. Pav bhaji masala: A special spice blend that gives the dish its signature taste. Butter: It is essential for the authentic flavour and glossy finish. Pav: Soft bread rolls, toasted in butter.
Tips for Street-Style Bhaji
Mash the vegetables on the tawa with a potato masher for the classic street-style texture. Cook the tomatoes down fully before adding the spices so the bhaji is rich and not sharp. Finish with a generous knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon.
Serving and Storage
Serve hot topped with chopped onion, coriander and a square of butter, with toasted pav and lemon wedges on the side. The bhaji keeps for three days in the refrigerator and freezes for up to two months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pav bhaji masala and can I substitute it?
It is a ready-made spice blend of coriander, cumin, dried red chilli, fennel and other warm spices that gives the bhaji its signature flavour. If you cannot find it, use a mix of garam masala, coriander powder, cumin and a little amchur, though the taste will differ.
How do I get the bright red colour?
Kashmiri chilli powder adds a vivid red without too much heat, and well-cooked tomatoes and beetroot also help. Cook the tomatoes down fully for a rich colour.
Which vegetables can I use?
Potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrots and capsicum are traditional. Boil or pressure cook them until soft so they mash easily into a thick bhaji.
Why does pav bhaji need so much butter?
Butter gives the dish its glossy richness and the unmistakable street-stall taste. You can reduce it, but expect a less rich result.
Can I make the bhaji ahead?
Yes. The bhaji keeps for three days in the refrigerator and tastes even better the next day. Reheat with a splash of water and a little butter.
How do I toast the pav?
Slice the rolls horizontally and toast them on a hot tawa with butter until golden and slightly crisp on the outside, yet soft inside.
More Recipes You Will Love
- Vada Pav: Mumbai's iconic potato fritter sandwich
- Bhel Puri: crunchy, tangy chaat ready in 10 minutes
- Pani Puri (Golgappa): crisp shells with spicy mint water
- Punjabi Samosa: crisp pastry filled with spiced potato and peas
- 3 potatoes (boiled)
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1 capsicum (chopped)
- 3 tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 3 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 8 pav (soft bread rolls)
- Chopped onion and lemon wedges (to serve)
- Salt to taste
- 1 Boil the VegetablesPut the 3 potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the 1 cup of cauliflower florets and 1/2 cup of green peas. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes slide off a knife and the cauliflower is very soft.Tip: Cooking the vegetables until very soft is the secret to a smooth bhaji. Undercooked vegetables make the mash lumpy and gritty.
- 2 Drain and PeelScoop out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set it aside, then drain the vegetables. Let them cool for 5 minutes and peel the potatoes.Tip: The starchy cooking water is perfect for loosening the bhaji later, and adds more flavour than plain water.
- 3 Chop the Onions, Capsicum and TomatoesFinely chop the 2 onions, the capsicum and the 3 tomatoes into pieces about 5 mm across. Keep each in its own pile, as they go into the pan at different times.Tip: Chopping finely helps the vegetables break down and blend into the bhaji, so the texture is smooth rather than chunky.
- 4 Melt the ButterPlace a large tawa, flat griddle or wide heavy pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and let it melt and foam gently.Tip: You will use the butter in stages. Two tablespoons go in now, 1 tablespoon goes in at the end for the bhaji, and 1 tablespoon is for toasting the pav.
- 5 Cook the OnionsAdd the chopped onions and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned.Tip: A pinch of salt helps the onions release their moisture and soften more quickly.
- 6 Add the CapsicumAdd the chopped capsicum and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it softens and loses its raw smell.Tip: Capsicum gives pav bhaji its fresh, slightly sweet background flavour. Cook it down well, so it merges with the rest.
- 7 Cook the Tomatoes Until MushyAdd the chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, pressing them with the back of a spoon, until they turn into a thick, mushy paste and the butter starts to separate at the edges.Tip: Do not rush this step. Well-cooked tomatoes give the bhaji its deep, tangy base. When butter separates at the edges, the masala is ready.
- 8 Add the Pav Bhaji MasalaSprinkle in the 3 tablespoons of pav bhaji masala and stir for about 1 minute, adding a splash of water if it begins to stick. Cook for 2 more minutes, until the masala smells fragrant and the oil clearly separates from the mixture.Tip: Cook the masala in the butter and tomatoes so that the spices lose their raw taste. A splash of water prevents the spices from scorching.
- 9 Add the Boiled VegetablesAdd the boiled potatoes, cauliflower and peas to the pan, along with 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, and mix everything together.Tip: Add the water gradually. You can always add more, but it is harder to thicken a bhaji that is too runny.
- 10 Mash ThoroughlyMash everything firmly with a potato masher for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing and turning, until the mixture is mostly smooth with just a few very small chunks. Add more reserved water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the mash feels stiff.Tip: Mash on the tawa with a potato masher for the classic street-style texture. The bhaji should be thick and spreadable, not watery.
- 11 Simmer for 10 MinutesReduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick like a porridge and the flavours have blended. Taste and add salt as needed.Tip: Stir often so the bhaji does not catch on the bottom. If it gets too thick, stir in a little more water.
- 12 Finish with ButterStir in 1 tablespoon of butter until it melts through the bhaji and the surface looks glossy. Keep the bhaji warm on the lowest heat.Tip: Finish with a generous knob of butter for the authentic Mumbai flavour and shine. Add a little more if you like it extra rich.
- 13 Toast the Pav in ButterSlice the 8 pav in half horizontally, leaving one side joined like a book. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on a clean tawa or pan over medium heat, then toast the pav in batches, 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden and slightly crisp outside and still soft inside.Tip: Press the pav gently into the butter as it toasts so they soak up every bit. Add a pinch of pav bhaji masala to the butter for extra flavour.
- 14 Serve HotSpoon the hot bhaji into bowls and top with a small knob of butter. Serve with the toasted pav, chopped raw onion and lemon wedges to squeeze over.Tip: Serve straight away while the pav is warm and soft. Squeeze the lemon over the bhaji and scoop it up with the pav.