Pav bhaji | Mumbai Pav bhaji | Easy recipe of Mumbai style Pav bhaji | Restaurant style Pav bhaji | Pav bhaji recipe
What is Pav bhaji?
Pav bhaji|Mumbai Pav bhaji is a delicious combination of pav and bhaji. Here bhaji is a mashed, smooth mixture of various vegetables, cooked in lots of butter and spicy pav bhaji masala gravy.
It is eaten with pav, a bread commonly known as pav. The Pav is served toasted, with slit in the centre, smeared with butter and with a sprinkle of pav bhaji masala.
Typically bhaji is served with a dollop of butter on top is consumed with butter laden warm pav/ bread.
One of the popular Indian fast food dish from Mumbai, Maharashtra, commonly known as Mumbai Pav bhaji which is also a famous street food of India.
It’s supposed to be one of the most ordered dishes in restaurants according to a survey.
The other famous street food snacks of Mumbai you would want to try are Pizza Dosa/Italian Dosa, Kothimbir vadi, Raj kachori, Sindhi Dal Pakwan. These are few dishes that are quite in demand.
Authentic street style pav bhaji
According to WIKIPEDIA a foodie’s paradise, Mumbai’s Khau Gallis offer some of the most lip-smacking street food in the city. For the uninitiated, in Marathi, khau means treat and galli means a small lane.
The streets of Mumbai, where food stalls are established along road side or inside the quaint lanes, serving various types of fast food are known as Khau gallis.
Once you pass by those streets the aroma of various dishes lures you to visit them and grab a bite on the go.
Quintessentially pav bhaji stalls you will see making this on big iron griddle. People who visit Mumbai it’s mandatory for them to have this delicacy at least once.
It is popular all over the country and even overseas, but the authentic version we get only here in Mumbai. The famous places that serve the best is Juhu beach and at Chowpatty.
Pav bhaji, a one pot meal
Easy one pot meal, pav bhaji is quickly cooked in pressure cooker when you want to serve something unique and simple. It can be served for lunch or dinner.
The recipe for making pav bhaji is one of the easiest recipes ever. Even a beginner can make it with an ease.
When serving this for large group or a party, prepare few things in advance and just mix and serve whenever required.
For making Pav bhaji | Mumbai Pav bhaji, all you have to chop vegetables and cook it in pressure cooker. Mix it then with spicy onion tomato masala and it’s done.
Nothing can be simpler than this.
What vegetables go into making Pav bhaji|Mumbai Pav bhaji
The best thing i like about this recipe is, it being so versatile. I always add as many veges as i could. And there are some veges which my children don’t eat, i smartly add those particularly in this dish.
I prefer to mix cabbage, french beans, bottle gourd and peas specifically along with potato, cauliflower and carrots.
So go ahead and make it the way you want to. My family loves having this homemade version and avoids the one which we get in restaurants/ street stalls.
I serve the Bhaji with store brought whole wheat/maida pav buns. Garnish it with chopped onions with drizzle of butter and it’s finger licking good.
Pav bhaji|Mumbai Pav bhaji, my way
Everyone has a different style of preparing Pav Bhaji and here is my way. You may find this recipe too long, but it is super simple.
The colour of pav bhaji which street food stalls serve you, they tend to add orange/red food colour. What you see here in my recipe is purely derived from Kashmiri red chilli powder and not from beetroot or any food colour.
Glance over the tips as well which are given after the recipe. I have been making Pav Bhaji this way since years now and it is always a hit. This is a delicious recipe which will never fail ever.
What brand pav bhaji masala is best?
We always use Everest or Badshah to make pav bhaji since quite a long time. You may use any brand which your family prefers.
What can be used in place of lemon for tanginess in pav bhaji?
Yes there are many options that can be used instead of lemon in pav bhaji. I personally prefer to use tamarind paste.
You may use dry mango powder/chaat masala or can increase the number of tomatoes in the recipe. Or you may use the combination of tomatoes & lemon.
So let’s get back on making lipsmacking pavbhaji made in pressure cooker in just 30 minutes. Here we go…..
Recipe card :
- For bhaji
- **********
- 1 chopped potato
- ½ cup chopped beans
- ½ cup chopped capsicum
- ½ cup chopped cabbage
- 1 cup chopped cauliflower
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup french beans
- ½ cup bottle gourd/doodhi
- For tadka
- **********
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1+1/2 cup tomato finely chopped/grated
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp ginger and chilli paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder+1 tsp medium spicy red chili powder
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp Amul butter
- 1 tbsp pav bhaji masala
- Finely chopped green chillies
- Handful of coriander
- 2-3 tsp Tamarind paste
- For the garnish
- ****************
- Coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Lemon wedges few
- Butter as required
- Clean, wash and chop all the vegetables mentioned above. In a pressure cooker add 2 glasses of water and 1 tsp salt and bring it to boil.
- Add all chopped vegetables except green peas to it (I add green peas in to the cooker along with all veges as my family prefers that way).
- Pressure cook vegetables on high upto 2 whistles.
- Now lower the flame and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and keep it to cool.
- Once the pressure is released, mash the vegetables. Keep this aside.
- Blanch green peas with some salt and keep aside.
- Now make masala/gravy for bhaji/vegetables.
- Take some butter and oil in a pan.
- Put ginger garlic and chilli paste. Saute well.
- Next add chopped onions sauté till it becomes translucent.
- Add salt at this stage as this will cook onions faster and give it a nice light brown colour.
- It's time to add kashmiri red chilly powder, coriander powder, pav bhaji masala, and turmeric powder.
- Give it a gentle mix.
- Mix grated tomatoes into onions and cook well till oil separates from the masala. Keep this aside.
- Take previously made mashed vegetables and mix into this onion tomato masala.
- Saute on high flame for few minutes.
- Now you can add blanched green peas at this stage, i haven't as i added it into pressure cooker along with all the vegetables.
- Mix well.
- Lower the flame and add tamarind paste.
- Cook for few minutes more and switch off the flame.
- To serve Pav/Buns:
- Heat a griddle/tawa. Slice the Pav in the middle and let it open up.
- Apply generous amount of butter on both sides on the pav, sprinkle some Pav Bhaji Masala on this.
- Place Pav over hot tawa with the sliced side facing down. Roast it, flip to the next side and roast again.
- Remove from the griddle. Continue the same procedure with the remaining Pavs.
- You can even avoid using the the Pav Bhaji Masala and roast the Pav only with butter. The choice is all yours.
- How to serve :
- Serve the Bhaji hot, garnished with some more chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped onions and a dollop of butter alongwith the butter roasted Pav, and lemon wedges
2. Use ripe red Tomatoes as it gives a lovely colour to the Bhaji.
3. Apart from using a good quality Pav Bhaji Masala, the colour of the Bhaji also depends upon the red chilli powder that you use.
4. I always mix in some Kashmiri Red Chilli powder alongwith the regular medium spicy red chilli powder.
5. Oil can be used in the Bhaji but it is the butter that gives out that flavour in any Pav Bhaji. You can reduce the amount of butter, but do not omit it.
6. The texture, the consistency, the spiciness and the tanginess of the Bhaji totally depends on your preference. So check, taste and adjust accordingly
Step wise Pictorial presentation of Pav bhaji recipe :
Clean, wash and chop all the vegetables mentioned above. In a pressure cooker add 2 glasses of water and 1 tsp salt and bring it to boil.
Add all chopped vegetables except green peas to it (I add green peas in to the cooker along with all veges as my family prefers that way).
Pressure cook vegetables on high upto 2 whistles. Now lower the flame and cook for about 10 minutes.
Switch off the flame and keep it to cool. Once the pressure is released, mash the vegetables. Keep this aside.
Blanch green peas with some salt and keep aside.
Now make masala/gravy for bhaji/vegetables.
Take some butter and oil in a pan. Put ginger garlic and chilli paste. Saute well.
Next add chopped onions sauté till it becomes translucent. Add salt at this stage as this will cook onions faster and give it a nice light brown colour.
It’s time to add kashmiri red chilly powder, coriander powder, pav bhaji masala, and turmeric powder. Give it a gentle mix.
Mix grated tomatoes into onions and cook well till oil separates from the masala. Keep this aside.
Take previously made mashed vegetables and mix into this onion tomato masala.
Saute on high flame for few minutes. Now you can add blanched green peas at this stage, i haven’t as i added it into pressure cooker along with all the vegetables. Mix well.
Lower the flame and add tamarind paste. Cook for few minutes more and switch off the flame.
To serve Pav/Buns:
Heat a griddle/tawa. Slice the Pav in the middle and let it open up. Apply generous amount of butter on both sides on the pav, sprinkle some Pav Bhaji Masala on this.
Place Pav over hot tawa with the sliced side facing down. Roast it, flip to the next side and roast again. Remove from the griddle. Continue the same procedure with the remaining Pavs.
You can even avoid using the the Pav Bhaji Masala and roast the Pav only with butter. The choice is all yours.
How to serve :
Serve the Bhaji hot, garnished with some more chopped coriander leaves, finely chopped onions and a dollop of butter alongwith the butter roasted Pav, and lemon wedges.
Notes:
1. The mixed vegetables and their proportion totally depends on your choice and availability.
2. Use ripe red Tomatoes as it gives a lovely colour to the Bhaji.
3. Apart from using a good quality Pav Bhaji Masala, the colour of the Bhaji also depends upon the red chilli powder that you use.
4. I always mix in some Kashmiri Red Chilli powder alongwith the regular medium spicy red chilli powder.
5. Oil can be used in the Bhaji but it is the butter that gives out that flavour in any Pav Bhaji. You can reduce the amount of butter, but do not omit it.
6. The texture, the consistency, the spiciness and the tanginess of the Bhaji totally depends on your preference. So check, taste and adjust accordingly.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading my today’s post. Please share your valuable feedback in comments with us, as we love to hear from you.
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I will see you soon with yet another interesting recipe. Come right back, I love to have you around.
Regards 
Lata
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If there’s a person on earth who doesn’t like pav bhaji, even he won’t be able to stop him from grabbing it. It looks this much tempting .
Thank you Shailender.
Pav Bhaji is my most loved street food . I totally crzY for it. Your looks so inviting. Melting butter on Bhaji , took away my heart superb. So delicious.
Pav bhaji is truly the most loved street food Ruchi.
Thank you
Wow! It looks so perfect, creamy, buttery, spicy , and so flavorful. Your post and photographs have made me hungry. Will make it soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you Vandana.
WoW! Pav bhaji is one of my best street food. This looks absolutely yummy! The Pav Bhaji looks mouthwatering good, that’s a great idea of using pressure cooker. Delicious share!
Thanks Jolly.
Pav Bhaji is such a classic street food. Thank you for sharing your delicious version with us. It looks absolutely amazing with all the veggies.
Thank you Pavani for stopping by.
Love paav bhaji and yours looks so tempting! Wish I could grab that plate now. The paavs have a nice color on them too! Great post!
Thank you Sandhya.
I just have to say Pav Bhaji and both my boys will appear from no where and start begging me to make some. They love Pav Bhaji and literally ate it everyday during our last trip to India. What a gorgeous platter that is and I am tempted to eat some now.
Pav bhaji is our favourite too Sandhya. So glad to know that your boys love it. Thank you for writing in.
The best ever pav bhaji is definitely in Mumbai and I love it at Juhu beach or Shiv Sagar. I never miss adding a small blob of butter whenever I make it at home. While I’m writing the comment my mouth is watering!
Definitely the best pav bhaji is served in Mumbai Mayuri. Thank you.
Wow!! Pav Bhaji, I absolutely love this combination – such burst of flavors and textures. Your pics are making me drool and I wish I could grab a bowl right from the screen…
Thank you Anshu.
I totally love pav bhaji and your recipe makes me drool over the screen. Have to make it at home.
Thanks Lathiya.
Pav bhaji is favorite to my family, Almost every Friday evening snack I make this bhaji. I loved your version as well.
Thanks Uma i am glad that you liked my recipe.
I had made this yesterday, it’s one of the favourites at home. Your pav bhaji looks so tasty Lata.
Thank you Jayashree.
who would say no to this delicious pav bhaji! I love to eat the bhaji as such, a melting blob of butter on top and beautifully tasted buttery paav,oh my god, it is definitely food heaven!!!!
Right Priya pav bhaji is universal favourite.
Thank you for stopping by.
Pav bhaji is our favorite, I love to eat the bhaji as such, a melting blob of butter on top and beautifully tasted buttery paav,oh my god, it is definitely food heaven!!!! Love your presentation!
Right Priya pav bhaji is universal favourite.
Thank you for stopping by.
Being born and brought up in London, I’ve never tasted Mumbai Pav bhaji, but I can imagine it’s origin taste. It is one of my favourite Indian streets food, my mum also prepare very similarly to yours. I might ask her to make this weekend for me!
Pav bhaji is my favorite too Jagruti. Thank you for stopping by.
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