Pav Bhaji
Street food is a big part of Indian cuisine, and pav bhaji was a top hit in the '90s. Since then it has been added to our repertoire of meals as it is quite popular with both the Little Birdies. Pav bhaji is an amazingly delicious anything goes mash of veggies, cooked in butter and spices, topped with chopped onions and cilantro, and served with hot buttered buns. It can be a meal or a snack, comes together quickly, tastes like fast food, and packs in a lot of nutrition thanks to a large number of vegetables.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Course: Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: bhaji, buns, garam masala, mixed vegetables, pav, pav bhaji, street food, vegetable mash
Servings: 8
Author: Madhavi
Vegetables for the Bhaji, peel, rinse and chop at least 3-4 different ones
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1/2 cup red pumpkin
- 1/2 cup bottle gourd doodhi
- 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas (petit pois) optional
- 1/2 cup capsicum or bell peppers any color
For the fresh masala
- 1/2 + 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes 2-3 medium tomatoes
- 1/3 + 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced or grated ginger
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 tbsp salted butter
Dry spice powders
- 1 tbsp + 3 tsp pav bhaji masala store bought
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chili
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
To Serve
- Fresh hamburger buns or pav if available near you
- Lemon wedges
To Garnish
- Onion topping
- Cilantro
- Lemon wedges
Preparing the veggies
Peel, rinse, and chop into large chunks at least 3-4 of the below veggies2 potatoes1/2 cup red pumpkin1/2 cup bottle gourd2 carrots1/2 cup cauliflower florets1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas1/2 cup capsicum or bell peppers Pressure cook them for 2 whistles with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker/pan or 10 mins in an instant pot on High. Allow to cool.
Prepare the fresh masala
Finely chop 1/2 cup onions1 cup tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes)1/3 cup fresh cilantro 1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced or grated ginger
Heat a large pan and add 1 tbsp oil.
Add the ginger and garlic pastes and allow them to turn lightly brown.
Add 1 tbsp store-bought pav bhaji masala and saute for 30 secs (available in most Indian grocery stores).
Add the chopped onions and saute till they turn transparent.
Then add the tomatoes and cilantro
Add the dry spice powders1 tsp turmeric1 tsp red chili1 tsp cumin1 tsp coriander Saute everything gently, cover and cook on low flame till the tomatoes become completely mushy and soft.
Once the fresh masala is soft and cooked, add a dollop of butter.
Then add the cooked veggies, including the water.Using a potato masher, mash the veggies till smooth. Add 2-3 tsp salt, to taste2-3 tsp more pav bhaji masala 2 tsp lemon juice Gently mix the bhaji, cover and simmer for 3-4 mins.Taste and adjust the spices as needed.
To Serve
Serve hot in a plate as follows:2 buttered buns1 large serving of the bhajiTop bhaji with onions fried in pav bhaji masalaSprinkle some chopped cilantroAdd a small dollop of butterWedge of lemon