Pav Bhaji recipe - Mumbai street food style with Phoran Masala premium spices

Pav Bhaji Recipe - Mumbai Street Food Style | Phoran

phoran masala

Pav Bhaji is Mumbai's most beloved street food — and one of the most deceptively simple dishes in Indian cooking.

The bhaji is a spiced, buttery mash of vegetables. The pav is a soft bread roll toasted in masala butter until golden and crispy. Together, eaten hot off a tawa on a Mumbai street, they are one of the great pleasures of Indian food.

The secret to getting it right at home is threefold: the right Pav Bhaji Masala, generous butter, and continuous mashing while cooking.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the Bhaji

  • 3 large potatoes, boiled and roughly mashed
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets, boiled and mashed
  • ½ cup green peas, boiled
  • 1 large capsicum, finely chopped
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 3 tbsp Phoran Pav Bhaji Masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp TikhaLal chilli powder (adjust to heat preference)
  • 100g butter (plus extra for serving — be generous)
  • Salt to taste, fresh coriander to garnish

For the Pav

To Serve

  • Chopped onion, fresh coriander, lemon wedges, extra butter

Step-by-Step Method

Step 1: Prep the Vegetables

Boil potatoes, cauliflower, and peas until completely soft. Mash together coarsely — some texture is good, don't make it completely smooth. Set aside.

Step 2: Build the Bhaji Base

Heat 4 tbsp butter in a large flat pan (tawa or wide kadai) over medium-high heat. Add onions, cook until golden (10–12 minutes). Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute.

Step 3: Add Tomatoes and Capsicum

Add tomatoes and capsicum. Cook 7–8 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with your spatula as they soften. The mixture should become thick and jammy.

Step 4: Add the Masala

Add Pav Bhaji Masala, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, and TikhaLal. Cook 2 minutes in the butter until fragrant.

Step 5: Add Vegetables and Mash

Add the mashed vegetables. Mix well. Add ½–1 cup water to adjust consistency — bhaji should be thick but spreadable, not dry. Cook 10 minutes, mashing and stirring continuously. This continuous mashing is the technique that creates the characteristic smooth-yet-textured bhaji.

Step 6: Finish with Butter

Add remaining butter. Mix well. Cook 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with fresh coriander. The bhaji should be deep red-orange, glossy, and intensely aromatic.

Step 7: Toast the Pav

Slit pav horizontally without cutting through. Heat butter on a tawa, sprinkle Pav Bhaji Masala on the butter, and toast the pav cut-side down until golden and crispy. This masala-butter pav is as important as the bhaji itself.

Step 8: Serve Mumbai Style

Serve bhaji with a generous dollop of butter on top, toasted pav on the side, chopped onion, fresh coriander, and lemon wedges. Squeeze lemon over the bhaji just before eating.

4 Pav Bhaji Variations

  • Cheese Pav Bhaji: Top the bhaji with grated processed cheese and let it melt before serving — the most popular variation in Mumbai
  • Paneer Pav Bhaji: Add 100g crumbled paneer to the bhaji in the last 5 minutes for extra richness and protein
  • Jain Pav Bhaji: Skip onions and garlic. Use only tomatoes, capsicum, and vegetables with Pav Bhaji Masala
  • Khada Pav Bhaji: Don't mash the vegetables — keep them chunky for a different texture experience

What to Pair With Pav Bhaji

  • Masala Chai — the classic Mumbai pairing
  • Cold buttermilk or sweet lassi
  • Sliced onion with lemon and salt

Shop the Spices Used in This Recipe

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FAQ

Q: What is Pav Bhaji Masala?
A: Pav Bhaji Masala is a specific spice blend for Mumbai's iconic street food — containing coriander, cumin, chilli, amchur, and other spices that give bhaji its characteristic tangy, spicy flavour. Shop Phoran Pav Bhaji Masala →

Q: Can I make Pav Bhaji without a tawa?
A: Yes — use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai. The tawa is traditional because its large flat surface allows continuous mashing, but any wide pan works.

Q: Why is my Pav Bhaji not red enough?
A: Use Kashmiri red chilli powder for deep colour — it is mild but intensely coloured. Increase the quantity for a deeper red bhaji.

Q: How much butter should I use?
A: Authentic Mumbai pav bhaji uses a lot of butter — 100g for 4 servings is standard. The butter is not optional; it is what gives bhaji its characteristic richness and gloss.

Q: Can I make Pav Bhaji ahead of time?
A: Yes — bhaji reheats well and actually improves overnight as the flavours develop. Reheat with a little water and extra butter. Toast the pav fresh.

Q: Where can I buy Pav Bhaji Masala online in India?
A: Shop Phoran's authentic Pav Bhaji Masala at phoranmasala.com →

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