Pav Bhaji Recipe | Easy Mumbai Street Style Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji Recipe | Easy Mumbai Street Style Pav Bhaji Recipe with detailed photo and video recipe. Pav Bhaji is a world-famous fast food dish and perhaps the king of street food in the western state of Maharashtra. The recipe is an amalgamation of vegetables spiced with a unique blend of spices known as pav bhaji masala and served with a soft bread roll, aka pav. The recipe is typically served as a complete meal for lunch and dinner but has transformed into a popular street food recipe in India.

Pav Bhaji Recipe | Easy Mumbai Street Style Pav Bhaji Recipe with step-by-step photo and video recipe. Pav Bhaji has a long history, and it originated during the thriving textile industry in Mumbai. The dish was mainly served as fast food for the textile workers and thus provided the required nutrients from the combination of vegetables. Gradually, due to the popularity of this recipe, it eventually turned out to be street food served on every corner of the street.

With the popularity of this recipe, there have been several experiments and variations to the pav bhaji recipe. Today, a standard pav-bhaji street food vendor has myriad options. From cheese to paneer and even mushroom-flavoured bhaji recipes have surged to the streets. But my personal favourite has always been the simple extra butter-tossed coloured pav-bhaji recipe. I have heard many stories from my husband, a frequent traveller to Mumbai during his brief stay in Pune. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to relish the famous Juhu beach or Chowpaty street-style bhaji, but it is at the top of my wish list. However, I did get a chance to relish it in my hometown, and it had a taste similar to Mumbai street food. This recipe is very much derived from it, and I hope you will enjoy it.

Furthermore, here are some essential tips, recommendations, and serving ideas for street-style pav bhaji recipes. Firstly, and more importantly, fresh and flavoured pav bhaji masala is crucial to this recipe. It is the heart and soul of this dish, and hence, never compromise on its quality. My recommendation is the MTR pav-bhaji mix or the Marathi Brand mix. I am unsure if the latter is easily accessible, but the MTS should be readily available in any store. Secondly, you can extend the recipe by adding other veggies like gobi, carrots, beans, and grated cheddar cheese. In addition, you can skip the red food colouring, which does not add any taste or flavour to this recipe. Lastly, I would heavily recommend serving the pav fried in butter and a bit of bhaji. This would enhance the flavour of ordinary pav and ensure an authentic street style.

Finally, I request that you check my other Indian street food recipe collection for the pav bhaji recipe in this recipe post. It includes recipes like vada pav, bhel puri, pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri, gobi manchurian, veg frankie, masala toast sandwich, Bombay sandwich, and chilli gobi recipe. Further, I request you to visit my other similar recipes collection,

• Snacks recipes collection
• Lunch recipes collection
• Sandwich recipes collection

About Mumbai Pav Bhaji

Like most Indian recipes, the Mumbai Pav Bhaji has an exciting history. It is believed that the recipe was invented during the 1850s by mill workers. They would bring all the leftover vegetables and cook them freshly during the lunch break with a blend of spices. In addition, because of the short lunch breaks, it was served with local pav bread. Also, it was easy to source this bread, and more importantly, with the combination of curry, it was filling and tasty.

Gradually, the dish became popular across India due to the migrating working class. This dish has become iconic in Mumbai and an essential part of tourism. Moreover, it has undergone many variations, and you can get so many different flavours, colours, and a wide range of toppings in this recipe. Yet one thing remains consistent with this recipe. That is the unique spice mix used for this recipe. Masala powder is vital to get this recipe’s authentic flavour and taste. Hence, it is noteworthy to choose a quality pav bhaji mix powder.

Chef Tips for Pav Bhaji

The recipe of Pav Bhaji is simple and easy to prepare with basic and readily available ingredients. Yet some of the critical tips for best results are –

1. Fresh Ingredients— Always prepare this bhaji curry with fresh and tender vegetables. The spice mix and wet ingredients must also be fresh and full of aroma for best results.
2. Masala Powder— Different Pav Bhaji Masala Powder types are commercially available but may not be relevant to individual taste preferences. Hence, try out and stick to the best one. Alternatively, you can use the homemade one for the best results.
3. Butter vs. Ghee—The best choice of wet ingredients is combining cooking oil with butter. Butter does not add a robust flavour compared to ghee. However, you may use a ghee and oil combination if you do not have butter.
4. Texture – The bhaji’s texture must be coarse and not fine or smooth. Use a hand masher to mash all the cooked vegetables. Do not use a blender to mash as it may get soft, even-textured bhaji.
5. Garnish—Toppings and garnishing are essential steps before serving. Use finely chopped onions, coriander, and lemon juices. In addition, adding a scoop of butter makes it more flavoured and enjoyable.

Faqs:

What is pav bhaji?

Pav bhaji is a world-famous fast food or king of street food famous in Maharashtra. The vegetables are mixed with a unique blend of spices known as pav bhaji masala. It is served with soft bread or pav with a generous amount of butter topped with chopped onions and lemon juice.

How to get a dark red colour for pav bhaji?

To get a dark red colour for pav bhaji, use Kashmiri red chillies. This gives a bright red colour to the pav bhaji and has less spice heat. In addition, use beetroot with other vegetables to give it a bright red colour. Avoid using an artificial colour which is not good for your health.

Which veggies we can add? Can we make pav bhaji without using onions?

Yes, definitely you can make pav bhaji without using onions. Just skip the onions, keeping all the ingredients the same. Usually, vegetables include onions, tomatoes, capsicum, potatoes, and peas. But this recipe can also be extended by adding carrots, cauliflower, beans, paneer, and veggies of your choice.

How to get the original street-side taste for the pav bhaji?

The key point to get the street side taste for the pav bhaji is to use fresh homemade pav bhaji masala. It is the heart and soul of this dish, and never compromise on it. Secondly, fry the veggies with a generous amount of butter and top them with butter on bhaji, adding flavour. In addition, use Kashmiri red chilies or chili powder for this recipe to get the bright red color to the bhaji. Finally, fry the pav or bread with a good quality of fresh butter. it will taste great when you prepare hot and spicy.

Can we use garam masala instead of pav bhaji masala?

Yes, you can add in case you don’t have pav bhaji masala. But it's always best to use pav bhaji masala if you can access it. In case you don’t have pav bhaji masala, add garam masala. In addition to it, you may have to add amchur powder or dry mango powder. But yes, the taste entirely varies when you use garam masala powder.

Which brand of pav bhaji masala works best?

Best pav bhaji masala is freshly homemade pav bhaji masala in which all the ingredients are dry roasted in low flame and blended to form a fine powder. Alternatively, you can use MTR, MDH, Everest, and any local Marathi Cuisine brand with a strong flavor and aroma to it.

What is pav bhaji masala made of?

Pav bhaji masala is made of dry roasting the spices individually on a low flame and blending them to form a fine powder. Here, spices include coriander seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, pepper, fennel seeds, Kashmiri red chili, turmeric powder, and amchur powder. if the masala is coarse, sieve it and blend the coarse powder once again. Preserve in an airtight container for a longer shelf life.

Video Recipe

Recipe Card for Mumbai Pav Bhaji

How to Make Pav Bhaji with Step-by-step Photos

1. Firstly, heat 1 tbsp butter in a large kadai and add three tomatoes, ¼ cups peas,½ capsicum, two boiled potatoes, and ½ tsp salt. Saute for 2 minutes.
   
2. Also, add ½ cup water and mix well.
   
3. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.
   
4. Mash the vegetables smoothly, making sure there are no lumps.
   
5. Add 1 tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp pav bhaji masala, 1 tsp kasuri methi, and 2 tbsp coriander leaves.
   
6. Saute for a minute, making sure the spices are cooked well.
   
7. Stick the prepared vegetable mixture to the sides of the pan and create space at the centre of the kadai.
   
8. Heat a tablespoon of butter and add ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder, ½ teaspoon of pav bhaji masala, and one teaspoon of kasuri methi.
   
9. Also add 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, one onion, and ½ lemon juice.
   
10. Saute well, making sure the onions are cooked well.
    
11. Now, add three drops of red food colouring and mix well.
    
12. Further, add ½ cup of water or, as required, adjust consistency.
    
13. Boil and mash for 5 minutes or till pav bhaji turns smooth and silky in texture.
    
14. Now prepare the pav by heating ½ tsp butter. Add a pinch of chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, and 1 tsp coriander leaves. Mix well.
    
15. Now slit 2 Pav in the centre and roast with spiced butter.
    
16. Roast both sides of the pav till they turn slightly warm.
    
17. Finally, serve pav and bhaji as pav bhaji with some chopped onions, coriander, lemon, and a dollop of butter.
    

Notes:

• Firstly, prepare with butter for more street flavour.
• Also, add vegetables of your choice to make them more nutritious.
• Additionally, mash the baji well to get a smooth, silky consistency.
• Furthermore, if you want to prepare it in a cooker, check the cooker recipe.
• Finally, the pav bhaji recipe tastes excellent when served hot and spicy.