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Pav Bhaji Recipe in Mumbai Style - Selvel Global

Pav Bhaji | Mumbai Style Pav Bhaji Recipe want to recreate the lip-smacking deliciousness you last enjoyed on a food stall? Here’s all that you want to know about making Pav Bhaji. 


One of the first Indian fast foods that originated in Maharashtra, Pav bhaji can be eaten as a full meal or a snack. Its popularity has surpassed many snacks, so much so that it is now relished globally. This delight originated back in the 1860s to meet the requirements of the busy workers at cotton- mills, who barely found any time to eat in the middle of their schedule. They definitely needed a diet that fulfilled their nutrients quota and could be made and eaten in less time, which gave birth to a meal that is basically mashed vegetables tempered with spices and butter, topped with lots of coriander and lime juice served with pav, or say buns. 


About Pav Bhaji

Considered a staple food, this loaf of bread, our pillowy ‘pav’ is made of all purpose flour (maida). Served along with the gratifying mish-mash of vegetables, bhaji is tempered with the ‘Pav Bhaji’ masala. This pav bhaji masala consists of Kashmiri dry red chillies, coriander (dhaniya) seeds, cloves  (laung), cumin  (jeera)  seeds, fennel (saunf) seeds, cinnamon (dalchini) and cardamom (Elaichi). Mostly one will easily find it as a separate product, but you can always make your own masala by grinding these spices and mixing them. Many prefer pairing pav bhaji with chat masala too. A garnish of coriander leaves and a dollop of butter with lime juice become a must to enrich its flavor further.


Ingredients and Preparation Required 

Collecting these ingredients prior to the cooking will make the process easier and the Pav Bhaji tastier.

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

120 Grams Butter

1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)

2 Green Capsicum finely chopped, approx. 130 Grams

2 Onion finely chopped, approx. 150 Grams

5 Tomatoes finely chopped, approx. 360 Grams

4 Teaspoons Pav Bhaji Masala divided

1 ½ - 2 Teaspoons Salt divided

2 Teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder

½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

2 Tablespoons Garlic Paste

2 ½ Tablespoons Green Chili Paste

500 Grams Potato boiled and mashed

2 Carrots finely chopped and cooked, approx 110 Grams

½ Beetroot finely chopped and cooked, approx 90 Grams

½ Cup Green Peas cooked, approx 130 Grams

1 Teaspoon Kasuri Methi

1 Lemon freshly squeezed

2-3 Cups Water approx 500-750 Milliliters

½ Cup Coriander Leaves chopped


Here we go!
  1. Add vegetable oil and butter to a large Tawa or heavy-bottomed pan and allow it to heat on a medium-high flame. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add capsicum and saute for 5 minutes on medium flame or until slightly softened.
  2. Add chopped onion and allow it to fry on a medium flame for 6-7 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, 2 teaspoons Pav Bhaji Masala and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes or until softened.
  3. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of pav bhaji masala, 1 ½ tablespoon of garlic paste, green chili paste and ½ a teaspoon of salt. Stir and mix until properly. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the oil separates.
  4. Add mashed potato, carrots, beetroot and green peas. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup of water and mix well. Allow it to come to a boil and mash using a potato masher. Allow the bhaji to reduce and cook on a medium flame.
  5. Once the water gets absorbed, add another cup of water along with half a teaspoon of salt and repeat the mashing process. Ensure all the vegetables are fully cooked and mashed together.
  6. Taste and adjust the salt accordingly. You can add another cup of water if you like a more runny consistency, use a total of 3 cups of water.
  7. Time to add butter! Then add kasuri methi, ½ a tablespoon of garlic paste and ¼ cup of chopped coriander leaves and stir well. 

Simmer it for 1-2 minutes or until the butter has melted through. Once it melts, add lemon juice and the remaining coriander leaves, stir to combine. Serve hot along with chopped onion, lemon wedges and hot toasted generously buttered crispy pav!

Don’t forget to store them in a Casserole Set that comes insulated stainless steel specially designed to serve all your favorite dishes warm and fresh everyday.


Variety in Pav Bhaji

Being big on flavors and given the ease of making this delicacy, it is popularly used across the globe and everywhere you will find something unique in these variations. Let us know about some of these.

  • Jain Pav Bhaji: Based on a Jain diet, this is a strict no root vegetable version of Pav Bhaji. It has no onions, garlic, ginger, or any other type of root vegetable.
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  • Kathiawar: This is a special type of cuisine that comes from the region of Saurashtra in Gujarat. Their Pav Bhaji is loaded with a different variety of local masalas and is typically served with a cold glass of buttermil
  • Punjabi Pav Bhaji: Just like the people of Punjab, their Pav Bhaji is fully-loaded. In this case, you will find a lot more spices and a bit of extra butter in the Pav Bhaji. It’s often served with a chilled glass of lassi, just like every other Punjabi dish.
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  • Cheese Pav Bhaji in which the bhaji had an additional garnishing of cheese
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  • Paneer Pav Bhaji prepared with paneer (cottage cheese) as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.
  • Mushroom Pav Bhaji, with mushrooms as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.
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  • Khada Pav Bhaji, Vegetables are not mashed, but small pieces cooked with masala gravy.
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  • Kolhapuri Pav Bhaji with extra spice.
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  • Kathyawadi Pav Bhaji with buttermilk, eaten particularly in the Kathiyawad.
  • Dryfruit Pav Bhaji with added dry fruits.
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    Time to try this easy recipe and savour this mouth-watering street food at home finally we request you to check our other recipes 

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