Pav Bhaji Recipe

Boil/steam vegetables

Place the diced potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and green peas in a large pot. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil and simmer until all vegetables are very tender (about 12–15 minutes). Drain, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and lightly mash the vegetables coarsely with a potato masher (leave some texture). Set aside.

Prep fresh ingredients

While vegetables cook, finely chop onion, tomatoes, bell pepper and cilantro. Make ginger-green chili paste if using fresh ingredients.

Heat 2 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan (kadhai) over medium heat. Add chopped onions and a pinch of salt; sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes.

Add the ginger-green chili paste and sauté for 30–45 seconds until raw smell fades.

Add chopped tomatoes and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and oil begins to separate from the mixture, about 6–8 minutes. If tomatoes are not soft, add 1–2 tbs of the reserved cooking water to help them soften.

Stir in turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala. Cook the spices for 1 minute, stirring so they don't burn.

Add the mashed boiled vegetables to the pan. Mix thoroughly to combine with the tomato-onion-spice base. Add salt and black pepper. If the mixture looks too thick, add up to 1/4 cup reserved cooking water or plain water to reach a slightly loose, spreadable consistency.

Using a potato masher, mash the combined mixture in the pan to get a smooth-ish but slightly coarse texture. Cook uncovered on medium-low for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and to let flavors meld.

Stir in remaining 2 tbs butter and lemon juice. Check seasoning and adjust salt, pav bhaji masala or lemon as needed. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and mix.

Heat a flat griddle (tawa) or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Split each pav horizontally but keep the halves attached if you prefer. Add a small knob of butter (about 1/2 tbs) and place 2–3 pav halves cut-side down, press lightly and toast until golden brown and crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Flip and toast the outer side with another 1/2 tbs butter if desired. Repeat for all pav, using about 1.5–2 tbs butter total for toasting.

Spoon hot bhaji into a shallow bowl or on a plate. Garnish with a knob of butter on top, a sprinkle of chopped onions and cilantro, and an optional wedge of lemon on the side. Serve immediately with toasted pav.