Bring the famous taste of Mumbai home—make restaurant-style Pav Bhaji with this easy recipe.

The moment Mumbai is mentioned, the first things that come to mind are Vada Pav and Pav Bhaji. Everyone loves the taste of crispy, butter-toasted pav paired with spicy, thick bhaji. The best part is that you can easily recreate that restaurant-style taste at home. Let’s look at an easy recipe for making Mumbai-style Pav Bhaji.

Ingredients Required

For the Bhaji

4 medium-sized potatoes (boiled)

1 cup cauliflower (chopped)

1/2 cup green peas

2 carrots (chopped)

1 capsicum (finely chopped)

3 tomatoes (finely chopped or pureed)

2 onions (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

2–3 green chilies (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Pav Bhaji masala

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2–3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

Fresh coriander leaves (for garnishing)

1/2 lemon

For Toasting the Pav

8 pavs (bread rolls)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Pav Bhaji masala

A little finely chopped fresh coriander

Method of Preparation

Step 1: Boil the vegetables

Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and peas in a pressure cooker for 2–3 whistles. Once cooled, mash them thoroughly.

Step 2: Prepare the masala base

Heat oil and butter in a large tawa (griddle) or kadai (wok). Add the onions and sauté until golden brown. Then, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, and cook for 1–2 minutes.

Step 3: Add tomatoes and spices

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften completely. Next, add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and Pav Bhaji masala, and sauté for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Add the vegetables

Now, add the mashed vegetables and the finely chopped capsicum. Add a little water and cook the bhaji on a low flame for 10–15 minutes, mashing it thoroughly as it cooks. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

Step 5: Add the finishing touch with butter
Finally, add a tablespoon of butter, fresh coriander, and lemon juice, and mix well. This will enhance the flavor of the bhaji significantly.

How to toast the pav?
Heat some butter on a tawa (griddle). Add a little pav bhaji masala and fresh coriander to it. Slice the pav in half and toast both sides until golden and slightly crisp.

Serving suggestion
Serve the piping hot bhaji topped with a pat of butter, finely chopped onions, fresh coriander, and lemon wedges. Serve the butter-toasted pav alongside. You can also serve green chilies and pickles on the side.

Tips to enhance the flavor
To achieve a restaurant-style taste, make sure to add a little extra butter at the end.

The tomatoes must be cooked thoroughly to ensure the bhaji has an excellent color and flavor.

Cooking the bhaji while repeatedly mashing it on the tawa results in a smooth and delicious texture.

Using Kashmiri red chili powder gives the bhaji an attractive color.

If the taste is too tart, you can balance it by adding a pinch of sugar.