Pav Bhaji Recipe Original Mumbai Style

Ingredients

For bhaji

• 2 large potatoes
• 1 large carrot
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 1 beetroot
• 4-5 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 1 large capsicum (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon coriander/dhania powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin/jeera powder
• 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• salt to taste

To toast the pav

• 8-10 pav
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-3 teaspoon of bhaji we prepared
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala

Steps In Making

• Place a pressure cooker over medium flame and add oil and once it becomes hot add cumin seeds and let them pop.
• Now add all the chopped veggies, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, beetroot, tomatoes and peas and saute for 2 minutes. Add a cup of water, only enough till the veggies emerge in it. Do not over full. Close the lid and let it pressure cook till it gets 3 whistles or until the veggies become soft.
• Once the veggies are boiled, with the help of a potato masher, mash the veggies till you don’t see any lumps or pieces of vegetables. Now keep them aside.
• In a separate pan add oil and butter and once it becomes hot add chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they turn translucent. We won't have to turn them dark brown.
• Now add capsicum and ginger garlic paste and saute for another 2-3 minutes or until the veggies have cooked and become soft.
• Add all the dry spices now, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and pav bhaji powder and mix well. Also, add few tablespoons of water so the masala doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Now cook for 3-4 minutes till the vegetables start to release the oil and it floats on the top.
• Now add the boiled mashed veggies and mix till everything is well combined. Add some water and salt and cover it with a lid. Let it simmer for 7-8 minutes or until it gets few boils.
• The bhaji shouldn’t be very thick nor thin, it should have a medium consistency.
• Finally add fresh coriander, lemon juice, and some butter and give one final mix. The bhaji is ready.
• To toast the pav on a Tawa add some butter, bhaji, coriander, and pav bhaji masala and mix well.
• Now slice the pav from the center and place it on the masala and toast it from both sides until crisp and light golden brown.
• On a plate serve hot pav bhaji along with chopped onions and lemon.

Recipe Notes

• Add beat root for the perfect color. Do not add more than 1 else the bhaji might taste a little sweet.
• You can add any veggies of your choice, like beans, etc.
• The vegetables should be boiled until soft, else they won't taste good and won't mash properly.
• If you don’t like butter then you can skip it and use only oil but butter adds a great flavor, so will highly recommend you use it.