They say that that pav bhaji was invented by the street food vendors outside the textile mills of Mumbai in the mid-1800s as a way to feed the hungry hordes of mill workers at lunchtime. Pav bhaji was definitely not something we ate or made growing up but by the time my Little Birdies were in primary grades, suddenly pav bhaji was everywhere, at birthday parties, get-togethers, picnics, and even weddings. Street food is a big part of Indian cuisine, and pav bhaji has been in the top hits since the ’90s. Since then it has been added to our repertoire of meals as it is popular with both the Little Birdies. Personally, I view pav bhaji as an opportunity to bring together all those leftover vegetables that would otherwise languish some more in the fridge.

This is an absolutely anything goes mash of veggies, cooked in butter and spices, topped with chopped onions and cilantro, and highly popular with kids and teens. Although it tastes like fast food, pav bhaji packs in a lot of nutrition thanks to a large number of vegetables.

Recently, I have started cutting back on the potatoes in pav bhaji, which is the main vegetable used by the food cart vendors, and have started increasing the amount of pumpkin, carrots, and bottle gourd (doodhi). The taste is largely dependent mainly on the pav bhaji masala and the creamy texture imparted by potatoes is unchanged thanks to the texture of red pumpkin.

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Step by Step

1. Peel, rinse, and chop into large chunks. Use at least 3 or 4 of these veggies based on what is available.
   • 2 potatoes
   • 1/2 cup red pumpkin
   • 1/2 cup bottle gourd
   • 2 carrots
   • 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
   • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas (petit pois, fresh matar)
   • 1/2 cup capsicum or bell peppers (any color)
2. Pressure cook them for 2 whistles with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker/pan or 10 mins in an instant pot on High.
3. Allow to cool.
4. In the meantime prepare the fresh masala by finely chopping
   • 1/2 cup onions
   • 1 cup tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes)
   • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
5. 1 tbsp minced garlic
6. 1 tsp minced or grated ginger
7. Heat a large pan and add 1 tbsp oil.
8. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and allow them to turn lightly brown.
9. Add 1 tbsp store-bought pav bhaji masala and saute for 30 secs (available in most Indian grocery stores, I prefer the MDH or Everest brand).
10. Add the chopped onions and saute till they turn transparent.
11. Then add the tomatoes and cilantro
12. Add the dry spice powders
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp red chili
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp coriander
13. Saute everything gently, cover and cook on low flame till the tomatoes become completely mushy and soft.

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14. Once the fresh masala is soft and cooked, add a dollop (1 tbsp) of butter (Amul brand would be the best).
15. Then add the cooked veggies, including the water in which they were cooked.
16. Using a potato masher, mash the veggies till smooth.
17. Add
    • 2-3 tsp salt, to taste
    • 2-3 tsp more pav bhajii masala
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
18. Gently mix the bhaji, cover and simmer for 3-4 mins. Taste and adjust the spices as needed.

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19. While the bhaji is simmering, make the onion topping (optional).
20. In a skillet or tawa, heat 1 tbsp butter.
21. Add 1/2 cup chopped onions and 2 tsp pav bhaji masala. Mix well and saute for 30 secs. Set aside.
22. In the same skillet add another dollop of butter (or oil) and warm the pav or buns, on the inside and outside. The buns should be buttery and lightly toasted, inside and out. I use regular hamburger buns.
23. Serve hot in a plate as follows:
    • 2 buttered buns
    • 1 large serving of the bhaji
    • Top bhaji with onions fried in pav bhaji masala
    • Sprinkle some chopped cilantro
    • Add a small dollop of butter
    • Wedge of lemon