This Pav bhaji recipe is a delicious mixture of aromatics, mashed veggies, spices, and lots of butter.
You’ve heard of mashed potatoes, but have you heard of pav bhaji? It’s a dish made from curried mashed veggies.
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What is Pav Bhaji?
Pav bhaji is a popular Indian street food that was first popularized in Mumbai. It’s a mish-mash of delicious boiled veggies and spices that are served with crispy and buttery bread. The bhaji is almost like a dip in this instance. And it is also topped off with plenty of butter!
What are the Best Toppings for Pav Bhaji?
No pav bhaji is complete with a serving of crispy buttered bread (I typically use Hawaiian rolls)! I also love to add lime juice, fresh cilantro, and finely chopped red onions on top of the bhaji too. I think it makes the whole dish taste super crisp and fresh, but without being overpowering.
Ingredient Breakdown:
If you want to make the best pav bhaji, make sure you have the following ingredients:
- potatoes
- carrots
- cauliflower
- peas
- cumin seeds
- pav bhaji masala
- kashmiri mirch
- turmeric
- garlic
- ginger
- canned crushed tomatoes
- butter
- oil
- red onions
- jalapeno
How to Make Pav Bhaji
- In a pot, boil all of your veggies, 2.5 c water, and some salt for about 20 minutes until tender and cooked well.
- Then, mash all of your veggies and set aside.
- In a skillet, add in your oil and butter and then your cumin seeds – cook until fragrant (about 20-30 seconds) then add in red onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add in ginger, garlic, and green chillies and cook for another minute.
- Then, add in all spices and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
- Then, add in your crushed tomatoes and sauté for another 5-7 minutes.
- Now, add in your boiled and mashed veggies and mix everything well.
- Add more water (to preference based on desired consistency – I use about 1-1.5c ) and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, making sure to stir periodically, and covering with a lid when not stirring.
- Finally, serve your pav bhaji with crispy buttered bread, and top it with lime juice, red onions, and cilantro. I love using Hawaiian rolls and cooking with some butter on a skillet until golden brown and crispy.
Looking For More Recipes? Check These Out!
Typically, pav bhaji is made with a combination of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and peas. Some people also like to add beets! Not only do beets add a nice sweetness, they also add a lovely deep red color to this dish. You can also add whatever other veggies you prefer.
Pav Bhaji
Materials
- 1.5 tbsp oil
- 4.5 tbsp butter
- 2/3 c red onions (chopped)
- 2 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 c canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 c peas
- ~90 g carrots (about 1 cup chopped)
- ~210 g cauliflower florets (about 2 cups of florets)
- ~340 g potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1.5 tbsp pav bhaji masala
- 2 tsp kashmiri mirch
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 jalapeno (or green chili of choice – to taste)
- 4 c water (use 2.5 c initially then add in rest based on preference after veggies and spices have been combined)
Other Ingredients
- salt (to taste)
- lime wedges (for serving)
- cilantro (for garnish)
- red onions (for garnish)
- butter (for serving/garnish)
- bread rolls
Instructions
- In a pot, boil all of your veggies, 2.5 c water, and some salt for about 20 minutes until tender and cooked well.
- Mash all veggies and set aside.
- In a skillet, add in your oil and butter and then your cumin seeds – cook until fragrant (about 20-30 seconds) then add in red onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add in ginger, garlic, and green chillies and cook for another minute.
- Then, add in all spices and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
- Then, add in your crushed tomatoes and sauté for another 5-7 minutes.
- Add in your boiled and mashed veggies and mix everything well.
- Add more water (to preference based on desired consistency – I use about 1-1.5c ) and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, making sure to stir periodically, and covering with a lid when not stirring.
- Serve with crispy buttered bread, and top bhaji with lime juice, red onions, and cilantro. I love using brioche bread rolls and cooking with some butter on a skillet until golden brown and crispy.
Hey! Can’t wait to make this! When do we put in the crushed tomatoes. Do we simmer them at the same stage we add water?
This Pav Bhaji looks delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe.
don’t see where you use the tomatoes in the recipe but there on the ingredient list.
Plus first part says boil all veggies. chilis and onion are veggies.
Not well written recipe