Pav Bhaji Recipe | a Delicious Indian Food | Indian Street Food with step-by-step photos and detailed recipe. Pav Bhaji is the most delicious Indian street food, mainly popular in Mumbai city, and later gained popularity all over India. Moreover, it is an amalgamation of different vegetables cooked in butter and spices and served with Pav, the Indian word for bread. In a literal sense, Pav Bhaji means, serving soft buns with mashed and spicy vegetables served with a dollop of butter and garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Origin of the word Pav
Mainly, Pav Bhaji is the second-best thing that happened to Mumbai- the first thing of course PAV. Now the story and origin of the term Pav or Pao vary. But all I remember is that the term Pao was introduced to us by the Portuguese who called their fluffy bread “Pao”. Well not going into much detail about the origin of Pav !!…but just want to thank whoever has introduced it. Pav is the most staple of Indian Food.
Mumbai is the heart of the city where meals can be brought for as cheap as Rs 5/- Pav Vada and cutting chai. A city that never sleeps and always eats!! Mumbai city runs on dreams and hope. It is home to plenty and for it is just not a city but an emotion. I am born and bred in this vibrant and lively city. There is something magical about this place which never sleeps literally!!
The famous street food Pav Bhaji
Here the street food is very famous and it is available at any wee hours of the day and night. Pav Bhaji is one of those dishes that is liked and relished by each and every one. It is the quintessential street food that is available at every nook and corner. It was originated in Mumbai and people all over the country have adopted it eventually. But you will never find the same taste as we get it in Mumbai.
Yes!! Mumbai Pav Bhaji tastes the best in the whole worldwide world. You have to eat to believe that. Well, Mumbaikar’s going to love me on that note!!
Some interesting information about Pav Bhaji
The ubiquitous pav has become as much a part of Mumbai’s culture as the local trains and the beaches. Just utter the word ‘pav‘ and a range of delicious food items flash through your mind right from the humble vada-pav to the more sophisticated Indianized garlic pav.
This dish has an interesting history. Mumbai was originally full of mills and the labor class. The workers had very short lunch breaks and the time was not enough to sit down and complete lunch. On the other hand, they couldn’t eat anything very heavy quickly as it would make them lethargic and slow down their work. So, this street food was devised by roadside vendors.
What is Pav Bhaji?
Pav Bhaji is actually an extremely healthy dish, although today it is categorized as fast food with dollops of butter. Initially, it was known to be just a mash of multiple vegetables spiced up to add flavor and accompanied by pav. It was filling, nutritious, and healthy. We aren’t really complaining about the butter today though. If you can see the butter dripping from the pav, nothing like it! There are hundreds of variants of Pav Bhaji available today right from cheese Pav Bhaji, Paneer Pav Bhaji to Chinese Pav Bhaji and the list goes on.
Though there are hundreds of stalls in Mumbai, places like Sardar Pav Bhaji (Tardeo), Achija (Ghatkopar), Cannon Pav Bhaji (CST), and Maruti Pav Bhaji (Vile Parle) are considered to be the best places for the dish. So when you visit Mumbai next time, you know where to halt for relishing the best and tasty one.
Those who have not tasted Mumbai Pav Bhaji, the most popular Indian street food, is definitely missing out on something. But the good news is that I am going to share the recipe of street style Pav Bhaji of this Indian food with you. My recipe is exactly how the street vendors make it here in Mumbai. They make it on Tawa and don’t use more vegetables in their recipe. We are not here to make a Mix vegetable. I have noticed so many people making this by adding all the vegetables available in their kitchen pantry and then whining about not getting the taste like the street vendors to make it. Today I am going to unveil that secret. To be honest I make the second-best Pav Bhaji in this world. The first best my mom cooks. She has taught me the authentic recipe of this delicious Indian food and over the years I have made and mastered it. Also, umpteen number of times I have observed the bhaiyaji’s making them in front of me. So yes guys you are going to have the best recipe here.
Which Pav Bhaji Masala should you use:
Since childhood, my mom uses to make Pav Bhaji using Badshah Masala.
This is the best masala as it lends the perfect and authentic taste.
Also, this masala is not very spicy if used in moderation.
I will recommend to you all to use Badshah Pav Bhaji masala if you are trying out my recipe.
Vegetables used to cook Pav Bhaji
Everybody prepares Pav Bhaji in a different way using different vegetables available in their kitchen pantry. But here are my recommendations for the vegetables to be used in this recipe: Onions, Tomatoes, Capsicum, Potatoes, Green Peas, garlic, coriander, and lemon. With all the above ingredients you are sorted for a quick dinner at home.
Different Types of Pav Bhaji
There are 2 main types of Pav Bhaji One is Regular Pav Bhaji, the recipe of which I have shared below and the second one is Khada Pav Bhaji. The basic recipe of Pav Bhaji remains the same. However, in Khada Pav Bhaji the vegetables are not mushed properly and are kept whole means “Khada”, the rest of the flavors and recipes are the same as for Regular Pav Bhaji.
Moreover, there are also other variants like
Paneer Pav Bhaji: In this variant of Pav Bhaji it is served with Grated paneer on the top before serving it. This makes it a healthy version and also protein-rich bhaji. Paneer Pav Bhaji can be served with regular Pav, bread slices, or even with parathas.
Cheese Pav Bhaji: This is one of the common variants of Pav Bhaji. It is also available on the restaurant or Fast food menus these days. For preparing Cheese Pav Bhaji at home, grated processed cheese is added on the top and served along with Buttery Ladi Pav. Cheese Pav Bhaji tastes really delicious and cheesy and my kids love eating their Pav Bhaji with loads of cheese. Well, once in a while we also love to indulge in it.
Step-By-Step pictures showing Pav Bhaji Recipe
How to serve it with Pav
- Slit 2 pav’s vertically and keep aside.
- Heat a large tava, add 2 tsp of butter and slit open the pav’s and cook on a medium flame till they are light brown.
Serving suggestions for Pav Bhaji
Your pav bhaji platter should be like this…
Place hot bhaji … 2 pavs… ¼ cup of onions…a lemon wedge and papad.
Top your bhaji with a dollop of butter and sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on it.
Thumps up or any cola drinks go perfect with this dish.
Tips-
You can adjust the spices as per your taste.
You can add more garlic if you are a garlic lover.
More butter if you are not calorie-conscious.
I would not advise using cauliflower as many of them use it as it may dominate the aroma of Pav bhaji which I personally do not like it and most of the vendors don’t use it either.
You can either smash it completely or leave some small pieces that are called a Khada Pav Bhaji (here the vegetables are unmashed).
Grate plenty of cheese on the bhaji and relish the Cheese Pav Bhaji.
I hope you guys enjoy cooking this recipe.
Recipe of Pav Bhaji
Ingredients
- 10 medium-sized Boiled peeled and mashed potatoes
- ½ Cup Boiled and lightly mashed green peas
- 3-4 medium-sized Finely chopped onions
- 1 Big Finely chopped capsicum
- 4-5 Medium Sized Finely chopped tomatoes
- 6-8 pieces Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2-3 tsp Kashmiri red chili
- 2 tsp Badshah Pav Bhaji masala
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 whole squeezed Lemon juice
- A handful of finely chopped Coriander leaves
- Salt as per taste
- 8-10 Pav
Instructions
- Take a non-stick pan and add oil in it, once oil is hot add butter and minced garlic and saute on a medium flame till garlic turns brown in color.
- Add the onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Once the onions turn brown add capsicum and sauté for 1 more minute till they are tender and stir in between.
- Now add the tomatoes in the onion and capsicum mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the tomatoes are mushy.
- Add salt, pav bhaji masala, and Kashmiri red chili powder at this stage and mix well.
- Let all the spices simmer in the gravy for 4-5 minutes while stirring in between.
- Add the mashed green peas, mashed potatoes in the gravy and mix well.
- Add 1/2 cup of water in the mixture and mix it well till all the water is absorbed in the vegetables.
- Add lemon juice in the bhaji and mix well and cook for another 1 minute.
- Finally, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and a dollop of butter and serve it with pav.
- How to serve it with Pav
- Slit 2 pav’s vertically and keep aside.
- Heat a large tava, add 2 tsp of butter and slit open the pav’s and cook on a medium flame till they are light brown.
Notes
Place hot bhaji … 2 pavs… ¼ cup of onions…a lemon wedge and papad.
Top your bhaji with a dollop of butter and sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on it.
Thumps up or any cola drinks go perfect with Pav bhaji.
Tips-
You can adjust the spices as per your taste.
You can add more garlic if you are a garlic lover.
More butter if you are not calorie-conscious.
I would not advise using cauliflower as many of them use it as it may dominate the aroma of Pav bhaji which I personally do not like it and most of the vendors don’t use it either.
You can either smash it completely or leave some small pieces that are called a Khada Pav Bhaji.
Grate plenty of cheese on the bhaji and relish the cheese pav bhaji.
I hope you guys enjoy cooking this recipe.
Nutrition
Hope you will enjoy making this recipe of Pav Bhaji, a delicious Indian Food | Indian Street food.
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